Stardoll and 'The Bubble'

I've been writing for this blog for a few months now. In all that time, I feel like I haven't shared any of my real, non-embellished thoughts with you. Those are some of my personal favorite posts to read and write, especially when I'm in a writer's block frame of mind. I can still give you something to read and I can have fun and let go through writing the post. Here it goes, and I hope you enjoy it [if you do, tell me in the comments section and I'll do more impromptu posts when I get inspired].

Tonight I read a post Lia wrote on MDM called 'Lesson Learned' [you might see my little rant about the CW in the comments section; check it out by clicking on the title, mentioned above]. I loosely interpreted it as the way the media, specifically television, can nurture the dreamers and romanticists in the teenage population. TV shows on the CW that are targeting female audiences, for example, normally have a complicated love web weaved into the storyline. To me, the love stories they portray are epic; the couples they create are either the cutest darn thing I've ever seen or the worst case of forbidden love that makes my heart ache sympathetically. As Lia said, they not only create this perfect/bittersweet picture of relationships, but they also give us young girls unrealistic expectations for things like prom and first kisses. Most of us don't get a 'reality check' that 'pops our bubbles' until we experience these things first hand and realize that life can't be scripted the same way The Vampire Diaries is.

In the same way, I think that Stardoll is a 'reality check' for a lot of us. Parents, by nature, want to protect their kids and put them in a 'bubble'. While growing up in a safe, nurturing environment is best for a child's emotional health and well-being, there comes a time when us kids all need to step outside of those 'bubbles' and stand face to face with some cruel people that are alive today. I wish we all lived in a world where no one would have to develop a thick outer skin, but unfortunately, that's not the case; we'll all eventually be in situations of helplessness and vulnerability when someone takes out the sharpest needle they have and penetrates our soapy, protective layers. Instead of having one traumatic incident that leaves you forever scarred, Stardoll gradually shows you the complete picture. You start to witness certain incidents of people rubbing each other the wrong way as you peruse Guestbook messages. You're never abruptly jolted into the world around you, so when that day comes and you get your first taste of hate, you're more equipped to deal with it. Through communicating with other kids and teenagers around the world, you can learn to cooperate with others while still asserting yourself, and handle social situations that go awry. Making these mistakes and learning from them in an environment where you can always log out and start over can save you the headache of having to deal with the aftermath your actions cause in your real life. A virtual website such as this can, in fact, change who you are and who you will become.

If I have a daughter [maybe even a son if the site interests him] in the future, despite all the lewd and inappropriate behavior, I would certainly allow her to come on this site and learn those lessons for herself. I would be right alongside her making sure she came out of her 'bubble' as slowly and as painlessly as possible. 

How did you first learn about harsh criticism? How did you take it at first? 
Has your experience on Stardoll been a positive one? Would you let your future children on here knowing what goes on? 

Tell me in the comments!
Thank you for reading!

Until next time,
Victoria (Daddysangel02)