My Jedi is Making Me a Better Person

I am, sad to say, learning to be a better person because I play  one in a virtual world. Think about what that means. But first, some background:

Context -- I've started playing Bioware's Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO (SWTOR). It's my fourth or fifth MMO and I wanted to play it in part because of the Star Wars theme but mostly because I was curious about how Bioware's ethical decision making approach to lore would work in an MMO, as opposed to a single player game like Dragon Age. I was in the beta; loved that and decided to play. I rolled on the Republic side because I was feeling that the Star Wars lore really compelled me to roll light side. I've got two Jedi toons: a Consular Sage (healer) and a Knight Sentinel (dps). I have since, of course, added a couple of dark side Siths to the family. This entry is about the two Jedi, which I play the most frequently.

Vygotsky -- Yah, I'm going to drag his dead ass into this. Why? Because Vygotsky tells us that we do in order to learn. That is, first we behave, we act. Then, from that we learn. Now typically learning theories tell us that we have to develop some capability to learn first, or we need to be taught or instructed in order to learn. With social learning theory we roll up our sleeves and engage in real activities, with others, and from that engagement, from working it through, we learn. Learning is the product of experience.

Jedi and the whole light side thang -- Okay, so at various decision points in the game, as various quests entail choosing to be mean and snarky, and vengeful and destructive or patient and supportive, and thoughtful and other-directed, I have chosen to go light. I don't kill the bad guy I've just subdued, I give him another chance or I urge that s/he be treated justly. At first it was a combo of wanting to level my light side points so I could wield higher level lightsabers, and realizing that if I were truly RP'ing (role playing) a Jedi, I needed to be true to the Jedi principles. But now, by level 45, something strange has started to happen to me. I am feeling the vibe. In real life I am more patient, urging calm and negotiation, listening before deciding... not that I NEVER EVER did those things. I mean I'm not a complete jerk, but certainly those would not have come up on the short list of my strengths. But now, in a kinda of creepy way, I realize I'm trying to engage reality using some of those ideas from the Jedi side of the game.

It's freaking me out a little. As we look into game studies we don't typically look for this! We look at kids acquiring scientific habits of mind from playing games like Quest Atlantis or River City. We look at kids acquiring collaborative teamwork skills from games like WoW or networked FPS. So, here I am playing a game without any overt educational intent on my part or on the part of the game devs., but voila, by agreeing to engage with these pro-social -- oh, let's use the schooly expression and call it character ed. -- principles, I am engaging in a new behavior pattern, and from that, learning  (becoming aware) to be intentionally or thoughtfully different in my actions/reactions. That was my point.

Now I wouldn't just say this is some weird thing happening to me. I had a conversation early in my SWTOR playing days with an old buddy of mine, OrneryBob, whose name says it all. He was a real hothead/meathead in WoW, not that I ever minded but other people did. He actually TOLD ME that the SWTOR Jedi knight he was playing was making him choose to be good, to go with the light side choices, to be nicer. I lol'd of course, assuming it was a sarcastic and snarky joke. But ... dude, I get you now. I feel it. It's real. It's creepy but it's real. I wonder if it will stick after I stop playing some months or years hence.