/me wonders about talking in the third person

My friend Airish recently informed me that talking about oneself in the third person is considered to be a sign of mental impairment in meatspace. I was taken aback and compelled to consider my practice of the art of the whispered aside.

The /me prefix is often used to communicate action that is difficult or impossible to carry out in Second Life. It is commonly used in flirtation and SLex to create a heightened sense of immersion. Now that I think about it, I wonder whether it also depersonalizes to some degree. For instance, there is definitely a visceral difference between:

"I reach out and softly touch your cheek" and
"Botgirl reaches out and softly touches Airish's cheek."

The second form feels more distant. It places me in the role of storyteller rather than participant. To some degree, it also abstracts the other person into a character rather than a being I'm connecting with.

I also use the /me prefix to feign that what follows is a "hidden" thought or feeling. Instead of saying:

"I am wating patiently" I say
"Botgirl waits patiently."

I often use the third person as a comedic or dramatic device. It provides a flavor to the communication that serves as a kind of meta-data. It allows for the expression of thoughts that might otherwise feel too forward if expressed conventionally.

Finally, I wonder if the textual nature of chat is what makes its use so common here. I don't believe it is used in voice chat.

P.S.

Botgirl appreciates your kind attention to her little ramblings.

The Cult of Wit

In meatspace they say, "You never have a second chance to make a first impression." In the hyper-short attention span environment of Second Life I think the bar is set even higher. Many SLers give you about two lines after receiving an introductory "hi" before they make the decision whether to blow you off or engage.

In my brief experience, it seems that wit is one of the key measures of worthiness. This extends beyond introductions into general social conversation. We sit back poised to pounce on the opportunity to throw out a killer one-liner. It can be fun, fun, fun.

Unfortunately, this cult of wit doesn't make much space for those without lightning-fast snarky reflexes. It tends to keep conversations on the shallow end of the pool. And it doesn't value slow and thoughtful thinking.

Hmmm. Is there any other dimension that pervades SL????