(This is the second half of a piece comparing similarities between life in SL and in RL.)
Why do couples go down the drain in Second Life? Why? And sometimes, why so quickly? As strange as it may sound, my answer will be to tell you guys that there isn't that much difference between a relationship here than in real life.
I took a lot of time to examine my own partnership, the way I behave here, and the way other people do. It leads me to leave that although some users may "role play" - thus be exceptions - our human nature ends up showing around here.
Someone who cherishes individual independence will be extremely annoyed by someone who is needy or controlling. Two strong minds may clash after their "honeymoon" time. A guy's lack of tact when talking about other women can make his partner feek uncomfortable. The list of grievances can go on for long, but you get the point. Those are very human traits and the only difference between what we see here and our RL relationships is that there are computers and Internet access between us.
I think that the chief reason why many partnerships end up failing is stalemate. After some great times together, partners neglect each other. If they are involved in business, they spend all their time together working. If they don't meet often because of their separate activities, it isn't any better. Can you see the big picture there?
In short, just as it is in RL, not having "quality time" is what breaks the union. When couples meet, they go out, explore, dance, sit down, talk and have fun. They can do some work and spend time away from each other, but there is some form of balance. They want to enjoy themselves. Once routine breaks the pattern and makes quality time disappear, some cracks start showing up in the relationship.
This may leave you wondering if the whole thing is worth it. Just as RL partnerships are, yes. But this sometimes mean that you have to "work" on your couple if you want it to succeed. Going to dance in a club or exploring a cool sim, just like in the "old days", or just hanging out wherever you feel comfy, is the solution to get the "magic" back. If you don't want it, it may mean crossroads.
Hey, who said that virtual worlds were that different? They are just like RL.
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