vampira Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 It's strange, I'm starting to realise that the people I am closest to these days are my friends on the internet - most of them half the globe away! In a way, it's kinda cool that you can connect to people so far away. Yet, it's sad in the sense that you dont have the experiences and memories of friends in real life. Most of my friends since high school have moved on, majority of my best friends are overseas or interstate (just one left here) and the ones from uni, I dont get much time to see. I think this is going to be a continuing trend in society, not just limited to internet I suppose but also the way people rely on text messages etc to stay in contact with friends. In some ways, things are easier but are we losing the essence of what friendship is? Anyone got thoughts on the whole concept of internet friends... is it cool, is it geeky? lol. Link to post Share on other sites
loony Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Not good, unless you have met them already. People from the internet for me are somehow not real unless I have seen them in real life. If your friends consist mainly of people from the internet in my opinion you are starting to live in a fantasy world and are losing touch with your real life. Link to post Share on other sites
dgiirl Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Vampira, I can relate. At the moment, I work from home, and thus the majority of the people I correspond with is on the internet, either coworkers who live in the states, people I know on the forums, or even my real friends who live in another city. It never bothered me too much until now where i went through a divorce and i'm working at home (they closed the office in my city and moved everything down south, cept me . Before I would have the exh and coworkers to have day to day conversations with Although with the voice and video over the internet, you are actually starting to get an idea of who people are and I think you'll always have memories of them regardless. Back in 93, i use to IRC. Only text chat, no voice comm or video. I still remember them fondly. I do think if you spend ALL your time isolated in your bedroom in front of a computer, it might be unhealthy (and yes, i'm in an unhealthy state at the moment). Like everything, you need a balance. Link to post Share on other sites
slubberdegullion Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Funny you mention this, Vamp, because I've been pondering similar thoughts recently. One of the up-sides of fora like this and the immediacy of email is the ability to have conversations, and even develop relationships, with people all around the world. I think that's seriously cool! But the downside is that it tends to keep us in our houses. How many people have friends half a world away but don't know their neighours 3 or 4 doors down the street? Dgiirl, as usual, pegged it right on when she talked about balance. And on that note, I'm off to say hi to my neighbours! Link to post Share on other sites
lilmoma1973 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 You know Vamp i don't even associate with any of my high school friends that i use to .. I talk to more people on the internet as well . I have a friend that i talk with that lives in New York and she sends my daughter gifts for Christmas and birthdays and i do the same for her daughter as well.. I only have a few people that are my friends that i still talk with as well in person as on the internet!! Link to post Share on other sites
Apathygrip Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 call me old fashioned but I HAVE to have physical contact with my friends. People I meet on the net I can never truly form bonds with, its like a different type of friendship....more like a penpal. Link to post Share on other sites
caity2 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 well i actually have friends from the internet that live in other countries. i dont give out any personal information but i do like meeting new people especially from places i have never been before, also i have talked to people from other places on the internet about things i couldnt talk to anyone in person or that i knew, i also dont ever get too involved with these "intenet people", but i can say that i have learned alot from these internet friends, whether they are real or not. Link to post Share on other sites
morrigan Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 call me old fashioned but I HAVE to have physical contact with my friends. People I meet on the net I can never truly form bonds with, its like a different type of friendship....more like a penpal. I feel the same way about people I talk to online--we can share similar interests in music and bands but I don't feel a real connection unless we meet up at a concert, etc. They may be interesting but there's still a sense of disconnect from my real life outside of my (uncomfortable) chair at work. I think a person can put too much of an emotional focus on words on a screen while they deny real life problems. Link to post Share on other sites
Envy X™ Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Oh hell yes, internet friends are great. Especially for people around my area. The guys around my area are into all sorts of **** - they even take drugs. I was influenced into smoking, but not taking drugs. When I found out they took drugs I decided to retreat from going out as much, and discovered that some of your best friends may well be on the net. Link to post Share on other sites
Bloom Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I'm curious. Do you all think that people on the internet are more honest about their thoughts and feelings or less honest? To me it seems that people will be brutally honest about their innermost thoughts (unless they are trying to hook up with someone). To me this is more real than all the BS people spout when you first get to know them. I'd rather know the real deal about someone. But the interesting thing is, you may know someone's inner feelings but have not have a true picture about where they live and what their day to day lives are like. I'm not talking anything major just as simple as being able to picture them in their environment. For example, I feel a little weird when my Mom moves and I haven't seen her new place yet. She lives in another state and I feel better being able to picture her in her environment when we talk on the phone. I'm a visual person though. Maybe the internet is like getting to know someone during a crisis situation and then getting back to real life. I've heard some people even keep in touch later but may not have much else in common. Overall, I really enjoying chatting on the boards and it helps me connect with people when local friends are too busy. And with some of the daily living issues that come up with local friends, it may be better to "connect" online when it works for you and disconnect more from local friend's problems! Link to post Share on other sites
Quinch Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Most of my best friends live 20 or more miles away so most of my contact with them is email/text message (though we do meet up sometimes) and I have a penpal in the US. It's kinda cool but it's no substitute. I guess the only advantage, apart from being able to make friends with people from all over the world, is that you appreciate them more when they are right in front of you. Link to post Share on other sites
Apatygrip Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 you would never know though, perhaps all the inner thoughts that seem deep and meaningful are BS anyway. You can hind behind your comp and be somone else, something you cant do in real life. You have to be you in the flesh and sometimes ppl think that being faceless can give you strength to say something you never would....and its true......cause you NEVER would...hehe. You know, its a double edged sword sont be swayd to one side or the other Link to post Share on other sites
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