Friends are friends...or are they? / myLot

United States

April 3, 2007 3:57pm CST

I have a friend that I met online. He's a great guy and a really good person. We've spoken online and on the phone, but we've never met in person. We are simply friends, there's nothing more going on, but sometimes I feel embarassed to tell people that I met him over the internet. This bothers me, because I don't want to be embarassed of him. He's a wonderful person, so I just tell people I met him through a friend, which is true enough -- I met his friend Marty over the internet before I met him. So what is your opinion of internet-based relationships? Whether it be romantic or platonic, can they be or are they "real" relationships? Are the emotions/feelings "real?" How good of friends are you with people you only know online? Would you ever consider having an internet relationship? Or an internet boyfriend/girlfriend? Are these kinds of relationships better, worse, or the same as "real life" relationships?

2 people like this

3 responses

aprilsong

@aprilsong (1884)

• China

4 Apr 07

I think friends online can really be soul friends.Sometimes we can not open our inner heart even to a good friend.But we can say our sads and joys to friends online.By doing so,our joy is doubled,and our sad is halfed.I have a friend online,when i am unhappy,i want to turn to him.I feel better after talking with him.I think we need such friends. Thank the internet,it brings us closer.I do envy those who find their true love on the net. I do believe true love online,but we should be careful in choosing a friends.Cuz there are also many bad guys on the net.

@diablouk (598)

•

3 Apr 07

I started a similar discussion recently because my brother met and subsequently married a girl he met on the internet and I am now also going to get married to someone I met over the net. I have made great friends online, some of whom I have met in person, some of whom are still just a screen persona but in this day and age, with the world becoming a much smaller place thanks to the Internet, I really don't think it matters how you meet friends or partners. Isn't it refreshing to know that you can become friendly with someone the other side of the world who, had it not been for the Internet, you would probably have never ever known?

@killahclaire (3665)

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3 Apr 07

I think sometimes it can be quite embarressing when you mention someone who you chat to online as it is quite difficult to define whether or not hey are a friend or not and someone who is not familiar with the internet will not understand the difficulty in this. You can spend alot of time speaking to the person and you can share some of your inner most feelings with htem but at the end of the day is it a real true relationship. I normally just tend to refer to them as someone I speak to online but then hate saying that as they are more than that. They are someone I turn to when things are bad and someone I share happy things with. You are right it is difficult and I am sorry that I can not offer more advice.