In this weeks readings, the concept of race playing a large factor in online interaction was brought up. One would think that in a zone that is seemingly free of normal societal and bodily constraints, race would not be an issue. Yet the fantasy of cyberspace can only go so far, and although we may try and run from our physical properties by creating cat avatars or pretending to be something we're not, race will always follow.
In the article "Race in/for cyberspace : Identity tourism and racial passing on the internet," one section clearly stood out to me because I think it presents a very interesting point/aspect of our society. This paragraph brings about the concept of race when its online, and the idea of online tourism. "Tourism is a particularly apt metaphor to describe the activity of racial identity appropriation, or "passing" in cyberspace. The activity of "surfing" (an activity already associated with tourism in the mind of most Americans), the Internet not only reinforces the idea that cyberspace is not only a place where travel and mobility are featured attractions, but also figures it as a form of travel which is inherently recreational, exotic, and exciting, like surfing. The choice to enact onself as a samarai warrior in LambdaMOO constitues a form of identity tourism which allows a player to appropriate an Asian racial identity without any of the risks associated with being a racial minority in real life" (Nakamura 229).
It is interesting to think that for so many people, the internet provides not only an escape from real life, but an outlet to live out their fantasies, whether they are sexual, societal, or simply physical, such as flying around on second life or pretending to be a warrior night on World of Warcraft. But the idea of a person living out their racial identity fantasies reflects that the internet really cannot allow a true escape from our associations with the body, because we still bring our preconcieved notions of race right along with us. Like the excerpt from the reading says, the act of using the internet is already societally associated as something that is exotic and exciting, some place that is used as an outlet of self expression that may not be shown in the real world.
The concept of identity tourism presented in the excerpt reflects that race is still very present on the web, but viewed in a different way. As opposed to a quality that defies and separates us as human beings, it is an easily changed and embodied quality that allows its users to pretend they are different for a short while, but do not have the actual life characteristics of this race.
I think for the most part this "identity tourism" on the internet is perfectly healthy for people who are curious about their differences. It would only make sense in a role playing game that the human mind would also be curious about role playing their skin color and societal standing. Whether or not it feels different to them or makes a difference in every day life is arbitrary, becaues what matters is simply the desire and curiousity about a different race, and the oppurtunity the internet offers to role play with different identities