Variations of the Self in NBA 2k16
Although avatar creation is completely up to the player, social norms take advantage in situations in which they are not required to take place. Similar to Boellstorff in Second life, the self tends to choose a skin color that is more accepted within the virtual world of 2k16 and there is “no specific ‘check box’ for race, but by controlling skin tone, facial and other body features, and hair, it was possible to appear racialized in any way one wished.” (Boellstorff 145). From my own personal experience I have even seen video game players who are Caucasian, create avatars that have African American features (skin, facial features). The self is very powerful in the sense that it is in control of the game. Similarly to Shreyas’s essay on Race and Gender he specifies that between the two, “There are some qualities in the real world that would seem to be more attractive, in the sense that those would help bring more attention.” (Shreyas). This holds very true to people in terms of selection of race and instead of bringing attention, in this case, race would supposedly bring more success.
Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.