Four women

A few months ago I did an interesting social experiment on Second Life where I went in 4 different skins to a site where you can sit down and beg for money under a sign reading something like: "I can't pay my rent. Will you please help me by paying 10 Linden dollars." I sat there for 10 minutes each time. My name was visible: Elila Azalee, but I looked different each time, though what I wore didn't change. For the first sitting I was a beautiful dark skinned woman. No one went near me, no one spoke to me, and I got no money at all. Then I went off and returned as a  gorgeous Japanese woman. People looked, but no one spoke, but I got one payment. Then, after 10 minutes, I went off and returned as a lovely blond Caucasian woman. Suddenly every one wanted to talk. I was like a bee hive. And I made a lot of money in that skin. After 10 minutes I went off and returned as a red haired freckled woman, but by then the people at this site were on to me. Suddenly my name was familiar. So, "cover" (!) blown I stopped the experiment.

So racial prejudice is alive and obscenely well.

It is interesting that I feel most comfortable in my Japanese skin, even though I am actually Caucasian (though with a bit of Mongolian) in real life. Thinking about this in relation to the experiment described here, perhaps it is because I am left alone, though do attract a little interest - enough to feel comfortable in this virtual space. I am essentially an introvert, after all.