Online Relationships, and Impact therof

[Nate]

I have many friends online..Most of them the mods..[size=1]NO I AM NOT SUCKING UP![/size]
I have a nice relation ship with Blanko..my wife (dude..seen my avi/banner combo?), which i personally think is the best going ob marriage there is. I am friends with lot of other people. I don't plan on meetting them (except Alastor, who i knew before he joined:blush: ), except maybe Blanko. I see nothing wrong with having online relationships, as long as you don't lie to me that you are not a 65 year old man with a fedish for kids...anwayz..(bad images)

I don't see anything wrong.

-Nate

[Terpischore]

[color=blue][size=1]I like online relationships, simply because they don't really know whats going on IRL. If you had a problem with one of your friends, you couldn't ask one of your other friends that was friends with the one you were mad at about what to do, if you wanted to keep it to yourself. Who do you come to for aid? Parents? Noo. (well, if your parents are nice and sweet--then go ahead) Your online friends would be my best bet. They're the unbiased answer that you're looking for. Now, for relationships, I don't know about that. I don't really care for meeting IRL, just because I'm always paranoid that the other person really isn't who he/she says he/she is and then it all goes downhill from there. But there's nothing wrong with having friends online. It's not impossible--friends are people that you come to with your problems without any fuss from them, and people that listen to you, and make you laugh, and [cliche]are that shoulder that you cry on[/cliche]. I say OK for online friends.[/color][/size]

[Kanariya]

[size=1][color=chocolate]I think online friendships are great, and I have had very good friends everywhere online (well not everywhere, but you get the point), and I get along with them great, sometimes even more then with my friends in real life.

Not saying I don't like my friends in real life, it's just that I feel even more happier around friends online.
I pretty much feel misplaced anywhere I go in real life, I mean one friend of mine is sometimes always ticked and I feel I can do nothing about it, and the other complains a lot about boys and says, "so what are we going to do to *boy's name* today?" She talks about stupid things over and over and over, and I am bored constantly, and the ticked one isn't much of a help either.

I have just explained my reasons for friends in real life, and shows how I like online friendships better. I can communicate better with them, and better express myself then my friends in the real world. That's why I am never out often and usually online or playing video games in a dark room. O.o
As for 'relationships,' I have had some here. *2 people married already and overwith.*
I don't want to take the relationship things seriously anymore (online and in real life), and just have plain old friends. I don't have a boyfriend in real life, and I am completely fine with that.

But life will change as a I grow older, that will probably happen. I will eventually start to like certain people over others, and eventually really like them more then a friend. But right now, nah relationships are bleh.

So overall, I think online relationships are great and better for me.[/size][/color]

[future girl]

Romantic on-line relationships are just too painful. Too many times it takes so much sacrifice, and well, I don't think I can do it. There are perhaps a few who can, but I don't think they hold the validity of a real relationship with a person you can see and touch. I admit sometimes you meet a person and you think I can really see myself dating this guy, there's an attraction, but I don't let it get farther than that because so much more can go wrong with an on-line relationship, it's healthier to not set yourself up for heart break.

As far as on-line friendships go, though, I have a few, but only a few. They just happen, really. I don't think I've ever gone looking for friends, on-line or in my out-side life. There a select few people that I consider true friends because they're fun to talk to, because despite the distance they're as there for me as can be. There's always the danger of being lied to, that a person may not be what he says he is, but often times that danger exist in outside relationships as well.

[Bio]

[font=tahoma][size=1]The only problem I have with online relationships is that that person could be putting on a show. I figured this out the... Not necessarily [i]hard[/i] way, more like the amusing way. Story: (brace yourself)

On Phantasy Star Online, a friend from real life made an online friend named Natar. He seemed nice, friendly, and outgoing, and even ran through an entire level just to save her. I met him, and we became friends too. Then it got creepy. He knew how young we were, but he would still hit on her, and make umm... really obscene jokes. He had about 9 online girfriends, and as far as I know, one offline girlfriend. So, he was 'officially' classified as a psychopath, and as soon as he stopped playing, became an 'official' inside joke.

I did, however, also have other online friends that were neither disturbing, nor perverted.

You never know what an online relationship can turn into. The best thing you can do is find out.[/font][/size]

[Baron Samedi]

There is a simple explanation for this.

1) Replacing IRL friends with online buddies altogether is not a wise thing to do.

2) With places such as this, it doesn't matter if people are not who they say they are. Because you're getting to know their brain, and shouldn't ever meet them IRL.

3) Meeting up with them is not a very good idea.. go with a few big strong friends if you must.

4) They are healthy- as long as they don't consume your entire social life. It is then that they become unhealthy.

Personally.. I am probably on as good terms with some people here, than I am with friends IRL. OB is a big part of me.. I am not social at all. It provides a release for me. I have invited some people IRL here.. and now wish I hadn't, to be blunt. OB is a place where I can be as anonymous as I wish. Which is good. I need this place now.. but I can live without it. I don't rely on my OB friends, because I don't rely on anyone. I would sorely miss them.. but that doesn't matter.

I'll be here as long as I enjoy it and can be here. Which will probably be a long time. I'll make friends, but getting obsessive about it is bad. View them as fun people.. but don't get yourself involved too heavily. It is dangerous.

[steph6246]

Online relationships and friendships can sometimes work out pretty good. But like a few have said, don't let them replace you're real life friendships. Basically you just have to be careful w/who you trust, and don't tell the whole world a whole bunch of info about yourself. I personally haven't had any problems w/online friends and talking to people, but like everyone has said you just have to be careful, and if you feel suspicious about something, don't be afraid to find out the answer to whether or not that person is real, and don't be afraid to try to stay safe.