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Don't Dismiss Online Relationships As Fantasy

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the asl-dangers dept.

Columnist Regina Lynn has a look at how online relationships seem to be blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. "The common thread among these stories is that people get deeply involved in online relationships and make decisions about their real lives. Calling any of these online relationships 'fantasy' dismisses the impact they have on the people involved and on those closest to them... I have yet to encounter anything that challenges my core belief: Relationships are real wherever they form."

11 of 357 comments (clear)

  1. All relationships are a fantasy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm a nerd, remember?

    1. Re:All relationships are a fantasy by antek9 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think you're absolutely spot on there. I myself have met some outstandingly nice people online, not just nerds and other people trapped in basements, no, real people! Quite some of my acquaintances are actually rather successful businessmen, most of them from Nigeria, who have become real close friends over the course of the last year. Actually, I'm planning to meet some of them next week, for the first time. It's gonna be a blast! They also told me a lot about some exciting business opportunities, which I'm eager to try.

      As you can see, the Internets (yes! all of them) are not for losers only any longer. Friendship is possible!

      --
      A World in a Grain of Sand / Heaven in a Wild Flower,
      Infinity in the Palm of your Hand / And Eternity in an Hour.
  2. reminds me of the time by loafula · · Score: 5, Funny

    i found out my beautiful elf princess was really a 56 year old man

    --
    FOXTROT UNIFORM CHARLIE KILO
  3. Re:Real? by nacturation · · Score: 3, Funny

    But meeting the person in real life can be a disaster. "I don't care if you have a speech impediment. There's no way Bubba can be mispronounced as Betty."
    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  4. Real? - of course by The+-e**(i*pi) · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have had many meaningful conversations with my best online buddy Elisa. She wont agree to meet in the real world though.

    1. Re:Real? - of course by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 4, Funny

      How does it feel that she wont agree to meet in the real world though?

      --
      Apology to Ubuntu forum.
  5. It's okay, nothing wierd going on.. by e2d2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's what I tell myself when I catch two elves in the basement of Goldshire Inn behind the Kegs, coming out smoking long bottom leaf with a creepy smiles on their blushed faces.

    EVERYTHING OKAY. Proceed with life

  6. Re:Real? by Lord+Apathy · · Score: 4, Funny

    The last online GF I tried to meet offline turned out to be a cop in drag.

    --

    Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification

  7. I had a similar problem by Mothra+the+III · · Score: 5, Funny

    I had been getting computer advise from someone who I thought was a fat, balding, middle-aged dude working from his moms basement, wearing a Yoda t-shirt and eating hot pockets. It turns out this person was really a ho, horny supermodel who was cruising the internet to find victims to satisfy her lusts and to spend her millions of dollars. You never get over that kind of betrayal

    --
    Worst. Sig. Ever.
  8. Note to mods: by raehl · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's +1 Informative

    --
    paintball
  9. ELIZA by RoaldFalcon · · Score: 3, Funny

    I used to chat online with someone named ELIZA. She was always very attentive to everything I said. She wanted to know everything about me and my parents. You can't tell me that wasn't real!