Friends vs Online Relationships

Something I read recently got me thinking about the subject of friendship and online relationships. There are people I've only met a small number of times in person or not met at all, that I'd still class as friends. I've known some of them for 4 years, or in a couple of cases closer to 6 years. Some of these people I've met in person only once or twice. A few I've never met at all; but if I were asked who my friends are, they'd be on that list of people I know and trust.


The reason my mind was wondering this, was it seems there are quite a lot of people who seem to consider people they meet and have talked to online as not being "real people" as they don't see past the avatar and screen names.

So, I guess my question is, what about you lot? Do you consider some of the people you have never met, but have hung out online with to be "friends" or are they all just faceless people that at the end of the day, you'd not lose sleep over?

 

OOo, no, i have many online friends, i count some as my dearest friends..

Love
sidney

 

yeah i meet a few nice people online...i have 3 friends, i meet in a forum (that sadly is no-more) 6-7 yrs ago...and i consider them real good frinds. i send them xmas cards etc.
but onley one of them, i tell absoluteley everything.
there is some great ppl out there

 

yes, my closest friend who I'd trust with my life is someone I met online, and unfortunately have ever met in person 3 times (though they were really quality meets).

I agree, there are some great people out there, and so far the good ones out weigh the bad eggs.

My observations of other times this sort of topic has come up in other places, people tend to have the attitude of if they are online and you haven't met in person or spend lots of time together, that they aren't equivalent to "real" people. That sort of attitude, I tend to find a bit depressing, as it's back to not seeing past the screen name or the avatar.

 

I find it a shame I can never meet some of the people I have met over the years on forums, have made some long standing friends. I always figured these people were more interesting than most of the people I am surrounded with

But alas, you rarely get to meet people, so I would still choose to be out and about than on the computer talking to people elsewhere. It's a big shame distance calls it as it is.

I have one really great friend from a previous forum though, and me and her have been and will be good pals for a long time. You just click with certain people, however you meet them.

 

well that person i tell everything, we have never meet in person, but we had cam chats, so i know verry well what they look and sound like, so that person is verry real to me, and i do hope we will meet one day, that would be a dream come true.
i think you can tell quite quick from chatting on msn to someone what sort of role they will play in your life.
and how long they will be in it...

 

I agree with that. Just like in person, each individual has there own way of speaking online and you can get a good indication of what sort of person you are dealing with quite quickly.

That's why it's so hard to put people down to just avatars and words, because the person always comes through.

 

I have 3 online friends whom I consider as close friends. There are many others though who are faceless entities that I'd not miss if I lost contact with them.

 

Am i one, i hope..

Love
sidney

 

Sidney? You've only been here 2-some days are you're already becoming a quick friend to me! Sure, you wouldn't know me outside of this forum (yet), but I'm clearly enjoying your company whenever you are here!

 

Oooo, well thanks, wish these Brits felt the same way haha..

Love
sidney

 

You're cool, you don't like the dentist. We have that in common

 

Ooo i hate the dentise, if he doesn't gas me i'll kick him..

Love
sidney

 

Right, cancel those half dozen roses and surprise Swiss chocolate would you...?

 

Hmm you can still give them to me..

Love
sidney

 

Who said we didn't like you?


Whoever they are, they are speaking lies ... lies i say!

 

lmao..where they a bribe...hehehe
ahhh, i like everyone in this forum, its a nice mixture of nut.....eh people....
and what will happen in the future...who knows....

 

Of course you are Sidney *hugs*

 

Shhhh, don't wake any of these Brits up, they might turn on ya Hahaha..

Love
sidney

 

Oh, they'll do that any way, as soon as they learn I'm an Aussie. We beat them at just about everything