How to be normal in VRChat

This guide will help you navigate interactions and be an actual normal person in the VRChat community.

Introduction

Welcome to VRChat! This guide is designed to help you navigate social interactions, understand community standards, and foster a positive environment. As you engage with others, it's important to be aware of behaviors and themes that can be harmful or disruptive. Here’s an extended guide on how to be a normal person in VRChat.

If you don't know what VRChat is:

VRChat is a social platform where users create avatars, explore virtual worlds, and engage with others. The experience is immersive and diverse, offering opportunities for creative expression and social interaction.

Social Etiquette

For starters, having a good social etiquette is crucial for being able to make positive conversations and keep the environment itself positive. By doing these things below you are already doing more than the average VRChat mirror dweller.

Respect Personal Space

- Virtual Proximity: Maintain a comfortable distance from others, similar to real life. Pay attention to social cues; if someone steps back, respect their space.

Use Voice Chat Appropriately

- Volume Control: Speak at a reasonable volume. If others seem to be moving away, it might be a sign that you’re too loud.
- Avoid Spamming: Refrain from repetitive use of voice effects or background sounds, as they can be distracting.

Be Mindful of Content

- Avoid Inappropriate Behavior: Topics or jokes that might offend others should be avoided. VRChat is a diverse community, so sensitivity is crucial.
- Don’t Engage in Harassment: Treat everyone with kindness. If someone seems disinterested or uncomfortable, respect their boundaries.

Understanding Problematic Content and Behavior

There is many problematic behaviors and content that are inside of the VRChat environment. Although you may not see any or all of them on a day-to-day basis, they still exist and are still problematic. To know what they are and how they are problematic is key to avoid bad people altogether.

Loli Avatars

- Why They’re Problematic: Loli avatars can be associated with inappropriate themes and may make others uncomfortable. It’s crucial to choose avatars that promote a respectful atmosphere.

Age Regression and Age Play

- Definitions: Age regression is when someone mentally returns to a younger state, while age play involves role-playing as a different age.
- Why They’re Problematic: These practices can blur the lines of acceptable behavior in VRChat, potentially leading to discomfort or misinterpretation by others. It’s best to avoid these themes to maintain a respectful environment.

Jailbaiting

- What Is It? Jailbaiting is in short the swapped roles in pedophilia (which we cover in this guide), children grooming adults into inappropriate situations or actions.
- Why It’s Harmful: This behavior can lead to serious consequences, including bans and even legal issues. Avoiding any form of jailbaiting is essential to keeping the community and yourself safe.

Racism and Hate Speech

- Understanding the Impact: Racism and hate speech have no place in VRChat. Such behaviors can create a toxic environment and lead to immediate reporting and banning.
- Promote Inclusivity: Focus on building a community that celebrates diversity and fosters understanding among users.

Neo-Nazism and Extremism

- What to Watch For: Neo-Nazi symbols, propaganda, "marches", and nazi-protesting are strictly prohibited in VRChat. These behaviors promote hate and division, and can lead to severe consequences.
- Reporting: If you encounter such content, report it immediately to help maintain a safe environment.

Propaganda

- What Is It? Propaganda refers to biased or misleading information spread to promote a particular viewpoint, which can be used to socially-engineer people into other bad situations or actions.
- Why It’s Dangerous: Spreading propaganda can lead to misinformation and divisiveness within the community. Always strive for accurate and respectful communication.

ERP (Erotic Roleplay)

- Understanding ERP: Erotic roleplay involves sexual themes and interactions. While some communities might permit it, engaging in ERP in public or mixed environments is generally frowned upon.
- Why It’s Problematic: ERP can make others uncomfortable and is often not appropriate for all audiences. Always be respectful of the setting and audience when engaging in role play.

Pedophilia

- What to Know: Any behavior or content that suggests or promotes pedophilia is strictly prohibited and illegal. This includes any avatars, interactions, or role-play scenarios.
- Importance of Reporting: If you witness any such behavior, report it immediately. VRChat has a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of content to protect users and maintain a safe community.

Understanding Community Groups and Handling Conflicts

In VRChat, there are community groups that people reside in, the general being furry groups, anime groups, and even cat groups. But there are certain groups that people in general should try avoiding if possible.

Gang Monkeys

- What Are They? Gang monkeys are groups that engage in harassment and disruptive behaviors within VRChat.
- Avoiding Conflict: If you encounter gang monkeys, it's crucial to stay calm and disengage. Reporting their actions is essential for community safety, you can also block them or mute them.

Client Users

- What Are They? Client users employ hacks or cheats to gain an unfair advantage in the game.
- Recognizing Client Users: Unusual behavior can indicate someone is using hacks. Report these users to help maintain a fair experience for everyone.

LOLCows

- What Are They? LOLCows are people that constantly do foolish or eccentric behavior within VRChat, and doing it for the "lols".
- Recognizing LOLCows: It can either be easy or hard to spot them out, but they all do one thing in common: Use foolish behavior to exploit amuse onlookers. Reporting them helps the community stay positive.

To handle these type of people in the VRChat community, you can use what is below to help.

Staying Calm

- Respond, Don’t React: Take a moment to breathe if you encounter negativity. Calm responses can help de-escalate situations.

Using the Mute and Block Button

- When to Mute/Block: If someone is disruptive or rude, don’t hesitate to use the mute or block feature to protect your experience.

Engaging with Others

For interacting with the community in many worlds, having engaging conversations is key in the social acts of VRChat. To help with having positive interactions you can do as follows to help:

Starting Conversations

- Open-Ended Questions: Ask questions that encourage dialogue and connection, like “What brings you to VRChat today?”
- Shared Interests: Use common interests as conversation starters, whether related to games, art, or shared experiences.

Listening is Key

- Active Listening: Show genuine interest in what others say. Engage with their stories and opinions to foster deeper connections.

Know When to Exit

- Graceful Departures: Politely excuse yourself from conversations when they start to wane. A friendly farewell helps maintain positive interactions.

Creating a Positive Environment

For creating a more positive environment inside of VRChat, you can do whats on this list to help build on it.

Be Kind and Supportive

- Encourage Others: Compliment creative efforts and ideas to foster a positive atmosphere.

Report Inappropriate Behavior

- Using Reporting Features: If you see harassment or inappropriate content, use VRChat's reporting tools to contribute to a safe community.

Be Genuine

- Be Yourself: Embrace your individuality and express your true interests. Authenticity fosters deeper connections.

Express Yourself

- Choose Your Avatar Wisely: While it’s important to express yourself, select avatars that reflect your personality without raising concerns.

Conclusion

Being a normal person in VRChat means respecting others, promoting kindness, and avoiding harmful behaviors. Understanding the implications of various themes and interactions will help you create a positive atmosphere and enhance your VRChat experience. By following these guidelines, you’ll contribute to a safe, welcoming community for all users. Enjoy your time in this vibrant virtual world, and remember to have fun while being respectful!

Summary? Have common sense. If you think it's wrong in real life, it's most likely wrong in VRChat.

[Skkeye]

lol

[Crug]

Thank you ChatGPT

[Shriker1]

I will now use the term "Gang Monkeys" whenever i see a group of bullies. GG

[starstruckk]

the guide nobody asked for but everyone needs it

[Trance Gemini]

VRChat for a new user is like being air dropped into an foreign country, at night, without a map, and you cannot speak the language or understand the customs. But if you can overcome the rough exterior of public lobby chaos and confusion, of bad behaviour and bad language, there are some real meaningful global friendships to be made and unique experiences to be had. Eventually you'll find you are being invited to the best global instances and hang outs. Be prepared for the unusual and outlandish, and be kind in your interactions, remembering you are dealing with real individuals behind the avatar facade and not a game NPC. You always have control of your own situation. Welcome to VRChat; it's not reality, it's just a different kind of reality.

[MGLR]

Normality does not exist. Everyone is unique in their own ways. I think "average" or "common" would be a better term, because when we take the different behaviors of many different people, and find out what the most common behavior is, therefore finding what the average behavior is.

[GE0DETIC]

bro more people need to see this, just because people are using fake virtual avatars doesn't mean theres not a person behind the avatar <//3

[Engineer Dave]

i agree

[NuclearGiraffe]

this is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ sad