A baby Tamagotchi hatched last night and I became the proud owner. The pet was born at 11:00 p.m. when I pressed a reset button on the back of a pink egg-shaped key-ring. My Tamagotchi is now sound asleep in the pocket of my shorts beside car keys and a trusty thermometer.
"The cyber-pet is the newest thing in Melbourne," explained my Australian roommate, Lou, whose Tamagotchi lasted seven days before crocking unceremoniously. After the passing of her cyber-pet, Lou regretted the time she left her Tamagotchi in a pool of excrement; she had forgotten to clear the "droppings" graphic off the display screen before putting her pet to sleep. Hasn't anyone ever heard of cyber-diapers?
Minutes before hatching, the Tamagotchi must be acclimated to our world by punching in the current time. Once the Tamagotchi hatches, a small, bouncing dot appears on the key-ring's screen. A new life is born. Using three buttons, the pet must be fed, played with, nursed, disciplined, potty-trained, and put to sleep on time. It's a twenty-four hour job that can last several weeks if the pet is kept happy and healthy. Cyber pethood is not something to be taken lightly!
One day in our world is equal to about one year in a Tamagotchi's life. As you tend to your cyber pet, it will change appearance several times before it reaches its adult form. In fact, the shape, personality and life of each Tamagotchi is based on how well you take care of it. When it is time for the Tamagotchi to leave for cyber-heaven the parent can rate their performance:
0-5 YEARS: Try harder next time
6-10 YEARS: Room for improvement
11-16 YEARS: Good Job
17-22 YEARS: Excellent
23+YEARS: Amazing!
My cyber-pet has survived its first day. The health meter tells me that the baby is now 2 years old and weighs 12 oz. Since I haven't given it any breakfast yet, it†s a bit crabby this morning. Out of four hearts, the pet is only showing one. Perhaps, I should take it out to McDonald's or bring it to a Gold Panner's game. Since last night, I already feel like I haven't been spending enough quality time with my key-ring.
Can pethood be simulated? Can the experience really be reduced to the size of a plump tea-bag? I sure as hell hope not. While I don't have much experience with pets, other than a sluggish hamster -- I'm willing to wage the money spent on a Tamagotchi that genuine pet owners have an entirely different experience with their own lovable critters.
But, what does the advent of cyber-pets mean for us all?
Last night as I attended to my Tamagotchi, a friend's dog called Yoda, was cuddling beside me until the cyber-pet absorbed all my attention with its beeps and whistles. As I fed my new, multi-feature, state-of the art pet, Yoda quietly rolled off the couch and found a new lap to lean against. At the time, I was unaware of the betrayal.
Is it betrayal? Am I committing treason against the pet population every time I check-in with my Tomagotchi? Yoda seemed to think so. The poor dog had been cyberized, or replaced by a computer-chip replica. Yoda joins a growing number of cyberized objects and experiences: libraries, museums, coffee(chat)-rooms, churches and market-places can all be accessed through computer chips and telephone lines.
How each of us spends our time, indicates how popular these cyberized experiences have become. Have you ever surfed the web, if so, for how long? One, two, or more hours a week? The more connected we become through computers and fiber optics, the less time we have for Yoda, Lassie and Toto. It's a simple, but profound trade-off that is worth considering now.
Children growing up today will be impacted by cyber-pets and cyber-space from the minute they enter the world. Automation and simulation are quickly transforming the most basic of human of experiences. I hope that the day never comes when key-rings and cyber- huskies seem more appealing than the real deal.
Gotta go, my Tamagotchi needs a snack.
©1997 Eion Bastable
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