In this era of information explosion, the virtual world has become a part of our lives. Once, we connected with each other through face-to-face communication; today, we connect with the world through avatars, bullet screens, messages and likes on the screen. The brilliance of the virtual world, just like the new characters added in the 2.3 version of “Mingchao” – Zanni and Xiakong, seems to provide us with a more brilliant and convenient existence space. However, as time goes by, have we ignored the most real self behind this digitalization, and the most precious things in interpersonal relationships – emotions and warmth?
The convenience of digitalization and the alienation of interpersonal relationships
Looking back at the past, our way of communication has changed dramatically in just a few decades, from letters and phone calls to instant messaging today. Today, we live in the digital world, and mobile phones, computers, tablets and other devices are closely related to us at all times. Social software, online games, video platforms, etc. almost occupy most of our lives.
The new characters Zanni and Xiakong in the game “Mingchao” are symbols of this era. Zanni, a “diffraction main C” with strong combat power, has abilities that every player is eager to use; and Xiakong, as a pneumatic resonator, can quickly change roles and skills, becoming a key role in many battles. These virtual characters seem to show us an idealized self, powerful, fearless, and omnipotent. They can easily solve all problems in the digital world and bring us a short sense of glory.
However, when we return to the real world and face social and interpersonal relationships that are more complex than games, we often feel powerless. We often use digital methods to deal with interpersonal interactions in life – fast and direct, but lacking in depth and emotional communication. We no longer patiently listen to a friend’s confession, but respond quickly through messages or voice; we no longer share a dinner together, but simply say hello through video calls. Although these methods make our lives more convenient, they also unknowingly separate the most real emotions between us.
The sense of achievement in the virtual world and the emptiness in the real world
The temptation of the digital world is that it can give us quick feedback. Whether it is the task rewards in the game or the likes and comments on the social platform, they can bring us a certain sense of satisfaction in a short time. Just like the characters in “Mingchao”, after completing a battle and defeating the enemy, you can see the growth and honor of the character, and it seems that everything is moving in a better direction.
This instant satisfaction is not easy to get in the real world. Success in life often takes a long time to accumulate, and many results cannot be seen immediately. Facing the challenges in reality, we may experience failure, confusion and loss, and this emotion will not disappear by clicking the “OK” button on the screen. In such a contrast, the speed and sense of achievement in the virtual world make us dependent. We gradually like this virtual experience that can be quickly satisfied, but ignore the bitterness and complexity of real life.
We often ask ourselves, why do we still feel empty after winning so many trophies in the game and cultivating and growing so many virtual characters? Why do we still feel unfulfilled after receiving likes and comments from friends? Perhaps the answer lies in: these achievements in the virtual world cannot replace the emotional exchanges and interpersonal interactions in real life.
When the virtual world shapes the ideal self, our real self is forgotten
In the virtual world, we can often see the most ideal self. Just like the character Zanni in “Mingchao”, her combat ability is invincible, and her performance in battle is always perfect. As players, we also hope to realize our self-worth through these virtual characters and experience the feeling of being recognized by the world. We are willing to spend a lot of time to improve the abilities of these virtual characters, to complete one task after another, and to harvest every virtual achievement.
However, this pursuit of “ideal self” makes us ignore our real self. We pursue perfection in the game, but ignore the shortcomings and fragility that may exist in reality. While constantly pursuing the strength of game characters, we lose our focus on self-growth. We ignore the challenges of work, family responsibilities and the repair of interpersonal relationships in reality, and put all our energy into the glory of the virtual world.
What’s more terrible is that we gradually begin to blur the boundaries between virtual and reality. We are used to being the “all-powerful” character in the virtual world, and we begin to lose our courage in reality. When faced with problems that we cannot solve, we no longer take the initiative to work hard, but rely on the comfort and feedback in the digital world. We are trapped in an inextricable cycle: the shortcomings in reality prompt us to immerse ourselves in the virtual world, and the virtual achievements in the virtual world make us feel powerless against the challenges of real life.
Regaining sincere interpersonal relationships: returning from the virtual world to real life
The virtual world provides us with a temporary escape space, but it cannot replace the emotions and connections in reality after all. For real growth and satisfaction, we need to return to interpersonal interaction and emotional communication in life. In reality, achievements that cannot be obtained immediately require us to use time and patience to obtain. The satisfaction that we once gained from the growth of the characters in the game should be transformed into the pursuit of real goals in life.
Instead of indulging in the achievements of the virtual world, we should pay more attention to self-growth in real life. We can try to establish real and sincere interpersonal relationships in real life, listen to the voices of others, and experience the feelings of others. When facing difficulties in life, we should stand up bravely, overcome difficulties and meet challenges, just like when facing challenges in games. And this kind of growth and effort is what we should really pursue.
No matter how powerful the characters in “Mingchao” are, they are only virtual existences after all. Each of us should draw strength from it, but we should not use the virtual world as a reason to escape reality. Only through real interpersonal relationships can we truly feel the warmth and strength of life and find our own foothold in a complex social environment.
Conclusion: From the flash of virtuality to real life
The virtual world gives us glory and honor, but it cannot replace the efforts and growth in life. We cannot rely on the virtual characters on the screen for all our emotions, nor can we let the sense of achievement in the virtual world replace the value of our lives. Only in real life can we feel the warmth and strength and achieve our true self through sincere emotional exchanges.
In this digital age, we must learn to draw strength from the virtual world without being confused by it. Only by returning to reality and maintaining a sincere connection with others can we find our own tranquility and growth in this noisy world.