This document discusses the relationship between the body proper and the virtual body. It begins by asking how the physical body and virtual role-played body relate to each other. It explores how the virtual body can provide an escape from the gazes and norms imposed on the physical body. The body proper refers to the standardized institutionalized body shaped by norms and expectations. Initially, the virtual body may seem like a slave to the physical body, but over time their relationship becomes more complex as the virtual body forms its own identity through relationships with others in virtual spaces. The control one feels over their virtual body is an illusion, as the virtual body becomes less dependent on the physical body for its existence once it interacts with other virtual bodies.

1. Maria Ruotsalainen

2. INTERFACES

3. MAIN QUESTION THAT DRIVES WORK
HOW DOES THE BODY PROPER AND VIRTUAL
(ROLE - PLAY) BODY RELATE TO EACH OTHER?

4. MAIN ATTRIBUTES / PARADIGMS
THAT
INFORM YOUR QUESTION.

5. Body Proper
I STARTED WITH A NOTION HOW ONE ( ME )ASKS THE VIRTUAL BODY TO BE THE BODY FOR HER.
SHE ( I ) DOES THAT IN ORDER (i) TO ESCAPE THE GAZES OF HER IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL
SURROUNDING; (ii) TO ESCAPE HER BODY PROPER WHICH HAS BECOME DEFINED BY THOSE
GAZES.
- WHAT MEANS PROPER?
"MY HANDS ARE TOO SMALL TO USE PROPER KEYBOARD SO I ALWAYS PLAY ON LAPTOP"
THIS IS WHAT MEANS BODY PROPER: IT IS THE INSTITUTIONALIZED BODY, THE STANDARDIZED
BODY, WHICH CARRIES WITH IT THE NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS, HAS TAKEN SHAPE ACCORDING
TO THEM.
The Slave and the Master
MIKKO WROTE ME THE SLAVED WHOLE EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON THE MASTER; HERE THE BODY
PROPER BECOME READ AS MASTER AND VIRTUAL BODY AS THE SLAVE. AT LEAST THAT WAS MY
INITIAL READING. THEN I STARTED THINKING IT. IT IS OTHER WAY AROUND:

6. HER EXISTENCE DOES NOT DEPEND ON ME - SHE WAS MAYBE INITIALLY MY BODY FOR ME, BUT
EVENTUALLY I BECOME HER BODY FOR HER. THIS NOT THOUGH SAY THAT VIRTUAL BODY
BECAME THE MASTER; BODY PROPER LONG BELIEVED TO HOLD THIS POSITION: INDEED, AS
MIKKO SAID, IT IS QUERILLA WARFARE.

7. ”PRECISLY BECAUSE I THINK IT IS ONLY A GAME, ITS ONLY A PERSONA, ONLY A SELF IMAGE I
ADOPT IN VIRTUAL SPACE, I CAN BE THERE MUCH MORE TRUTHFUL. I CAN INACT THERE AN
IDENTITY WHICH IS MUCH CLOSER TO MY TRUE SELF” –ZIZEK

8. SUBMISSION TO PLAY AND THE
SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF
THE VIRTUAL BODY TO TAKE A FORM, TO TAKE A EXISTENCE, SHE ALSO NEEDED TO
BE EMBEDDED INTO NET OF RELATIONS: SHE NEEDED THE GAZES. I NEVER PLAY
SINGLE PLAYER GAMES. THE GAZES ARE THE OTHER PLAYERS, THE OTHERS. THERE
IS INITIAL FEEL IF CONTROL: ONE CAN SWITCH THE GAME OF WHEN SHE DECIDES
TO.

9. ILL BE YOUR BODY FOR YOU (ITS MY
PLEASURE)
• THIS CONTROL, THIS POWER OVER THE VIRTUAL BODY, OF WHICH I DISCUSSED IN MY
FIRST PAPER- FREEZING THE VIRTUAL - IS MERELY AN ILLUSION THOUGH; ONCE THE
VIRTUAL BODY HAS BECOME PART OF NET OF RELATIONS - FORMED ITSELF WITH
OTHERS - IT NO LONGER DEPEND ON BODY PROPER OF ITS EXISTENCE. IT IS NOT GAZED
BY THE PLAYER ONLY.
AND MORE THAN THAT; ITS STARTS CLAIMING BODY PROPER BACK FROM THE NORMS.
IT STARTED CHANGING THE BODY PROPER TO BODY FOR HER
THIS IS BREAKING THE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF …. WHERE?