Throughout my past visit to Habbo Hotel, I realized I might need to discover more about the hotel considering I have no idea what I am doing. After exploring I realized that Habbo is a social networking site aimed at teenagers. There are many features allowing users to customize their own web page. You can earn credits (coins) that are used to buy furniture and Pixels (free currency) you get for just being logged into the virtual world. There are many activities and features available in Habbo. I found it interesting that the website features regularly updated news and events regarding the service. You can visit chat rooms, popular group pages and user pages while logged into the virtual world.
I am finding it very interesting that Habbo Hotel allows you to change your avatars clothing, hairstyle and accessories whenever you want. While exploring I found the feature where you can change your race. In Habbo you can be more than black or white. You can be any shade of tan, a light green, albino and even purple. The fact that you can change your skin color made me start to question the ideas of race, and in Habbo does race involve more than just skin color? This time I entered Habbo Hotel with the idea of race on my mind.
A little background information, groups are special clubs that users can join. User can join groups for free or create their own group for a credit fee. According to wekipedia.com, “In groups, owners can change the badge (a small image to symbolise the group), customize the page, give/take away admin rights (the ability to change the badge, change the page, kick members out, give/take away other members rights, etc.”
This really got me exploring Habbo clubs, from the creepy singles bedrooms to a room called “Streets of L.A. Latin Kings”. Here I met “goddammitboddy” and he said follow me, so like a creep I did just that. We went to a room with nothing it and he said change your identity, race, clothing and name to look like mine. So I change my whole look. I went from white girl in paints, shoes, starfish in my hair and pink t-shirt to dark skin, hat, no star in my hair, my swimsuit on, sandals and a skirt. We then went back to “Streets of L.A. Latin Kings” were we sat in the VIP room chatting with other people who I now looked like. I was apart of their chat now, people where asking me questions and making me feel involved.
About 2 minutes into the chat and another white girl comes into “Streets of L.A. Latin Kings”. Right away “goddammitboddy” says change your look to match mine. Unlike me she stands her ground, but others in the room start typing WHITE GIRL and a lot of bobbas (Habbo curse words) showed up on the screen. After this she changed to a dark skinned avatar and people started talking to her.
My question for the class:
What image about race is Habbo teaching teenages? Is it normal to change your identity to fit in, whatever happen to being yourself? Why online are people so willing to change their race to fit in? Does this spill over to peoples real life? There were 5, 822 members online why not go talk to someone else?
(somehow my first post was deleted before i hit submit)
ReplyDeletenot that i've ever played habbo, but i don't believe that games like this, that have fully customization of your appearance, don't actually teach anything about race. however i do believe that other media teachs you things about race, such as white kids don't listen to rap or the ones that do instantly like eminem or latinos are good dancers etc etc (stereotypes).
for your second question, i believe it is naturalized into our brians that you should change your identity to fit in. everypart of our society has been about being better than the "jones" next door which first started out as material possessions but has moved to having the most friends. facebook is the prime example were some people have 1000+ friends. if your an individual and yourself that doesn't seem to attract people rather than if you just fall into line. also look at reality tv, prime example of what we are taught, they are all the same person. everything in our society is to try to get people to like you based upon your dress, appearance.
though i don't have any scientific evidence i don't believe that anyone, or at least even a small number, would change their race to fit in. now in other countries, or if the internet was around in the 1940's i would think so. but in todays world, i believe its more of just a joke or just trying to have fun.
i do think it spills over into peoples life. however i believe it is more of the negative aspects rather than the postives. there was a good show about some asian girl who wa to shy to go into public to play guitar so she did on second life and after 3 years she still hasn't played in public and that was her excuse to do it online. to gain confidence.
What image about race is Habbo teaching teenages?
ReplyDeleteI actually joined Habbo after class last week because my curiosity got the best of me. I can't speak as an expert because I have not spent tons of time on Habbo. However, I was impressed that the avatars in the various rooms had much more of a range of skin tones from extremely pale to very dark. Plus, there were a number of hair styles that included an afro and other natural curly styles. This teaches the Habbo participants that people come in a variety of shades with any number of hair styles, at least more than what is available to the Barbie Girls participants.
Is it normal to change your identity to fit in, whatever happen to being yourself?
I think it is pretty typical for teenagers (the main group of Habbo participants) to change their identity to fit in. Making connections and feeling a sense of belonging are important to most people and this is particularly true during adolescence. Plus, changing yourself on a website like Habbo is super easy to accomplish with a few clicks of a mouse. Being yourself does not always rewarded in these types of situations.
Why online are people so willing to change their race to fit in?
Hard to say. Changing one's race seems pretty drastic to me even if it is easy to accomplish with a few keystrokes. I wonder whether one's real life race and racial identity/awareness makes an impact on whether people make this change.
Does this spill over to peoples real life?
Depends on the people. There are people who experiment with what they believe it means to be white, black, Hispanic, Indian, etc. and who take on stereotypical traits and mannerisms of other racial or ethnic groups.
There were 5, 822 members online why not go talk to someone else?
It's exciting when someone notices you. It can be hard to get someone else's attention on Habbo. Some folks might bend to peer pressure in order to maintain that connection.
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