So, at least in certain circumstances, virtual or otherwise non-living things can help to ease the longings to follow a dream one might suffer, thanks to a lack of money, a lack of charisma to attract a mate or simply a lack of time to do anything of substance. These replications can give you some sort of feeling of emotional connection, and while nobody would argue that these replica sensations come anywhere near the power of the real thing, these substitutes have one major advantage: They work on our schedule.
As civilization becomes more advanced and the idea of a nine-to-five work day becomes more and more quaint, people's lives are beginning to happen in smaller increments. Someone who really wants to own and train a puppy to become a championship Frisbee-catcher would need to make a major commitment to the dog, teaching it everything from its name all the way up to exactly when to jump to make that leaping catch. This commitment of time and money would need to take priority over most other aspects of the owner's life. Certainly, there are plenty of people for whom this model works, but for many of today's young and even not-so-young professionals, that kind of thing just doesn't jive.
So, is it better to make the full commitment, to spend the full time and money, to change your life so that you can reap the full rewards of your passion? Or, is it better to go the virtual route, to keep your crazy and hectic life, but to enjoy your irregularly scheduled moments of time with your virtual pup, cel-shaded girlfriend or digitized Ferrari? While their convenience and easy appeal is alluring, it's all too easy to fall out of love with a mesh of polygons or circuitry when the next big thing comes along. But, some folks simply don't have a choice in the matter. Ultimately, a real pup doesn't have a power button but, when he puts his head on your lap while you're typing away on your computer, you might just feel OK about putting the work aside for 30 minutes and going for a bit of a walk ... for your dog's sake, of course.
Tim Stevens is a freelance gaming journalist. His work can be seen online at Yahoo! Videogames and the Global Gaming League, in print in metro.pop and Phuze magazines, and on TV on G4's X-Play.
