Fiction Lag

[Tiergan]

Brynhilde Wulfe linked this to me this morning. I thought it was really interesting especially for us RPers. I know we've had a few threads talking about how sometimes our characters bleed into our real lives.

 

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[Maril]

This is very interesting. I used to be quite the booknerd in my teens and I remember quite well how I'd sometimes end up bringing bits of the book to the outside world. Mostly through my mood though. I still read books, but not quite as many as I used to, managed to read a series of books once where I was outright heartbroken for a week because one of the characters I loved ended up dead, and then after that I had trouble picking up any other book because I just wanted more of that universe ._. 

Though when it comes to RP, the way I experience the bleed through is from me and to the character rather than the other way around, so sometimes what I think is right becomes my characters way of thinking... But then again, it could just be fiction lag stemming from my character (and/or past characters)? 

 

Hmm. I need a cup of tea and a ponder.

[Brynhilde]

I've often wondered if fictional characters make appropriate ethical role-models for adults. A lot is said of 'role models' for young people in fiction, be they in soap operas or books, but there's rarely talk about whether it's right for adults to turn to created people in fiction for moral guidance.

 

This is why the concept of 'Fiction Lag' is so interesting to me. If I play games involving virtuous characters, will I subconsciously be moved to act in real life in an accordingly virtuous way? Is courage contagious between a fictional person and a real one? If I were to role-play a dishonest character, would it nudge me toward more duplicitous behaviour in my every day dealings with people?

 

Perhaps as role-players we are more susceptible to Fiction Lag because we not only empathise with our characters, we actively seek to get inside their heads to act them out. We're all aware that personality transference can happen from player to PC, but what about the other way around?

 

maybe i should like curb bryn's racism a bit idk

[OverlordOutpost]

My life has always oddly followed my character.

 

On Guild Wars 2, I played a researching Asura.  Before long I wound up in a graduate program and doing research.

 

In FF14, I play a character that works as a teacher.. and lo' and behold.  I'm now that too.

 

There's also definitely times where my characters emotional state will bleed over, or I'll nab myself using some of their mannerism directly after playing them.