Online friends vs. offline friends

[Kimmie]

right group effort here people

ahem

*LETS ALL HUG ALEX* now if we all think about hugging alex, he may get a warm squishy feeling inside when he reads this

look at the * <----- (the star) when u read this post mentally hug alex and wen he sees the star he will feel our hug and our love

i so want to be a hippy right now

*goes off to hug a tree*

we   u alex

[koko_99_2001]

*big huggle for Alex*

[Say]

omfgkimmieh you tree hugger freak

[Drunken Chinchilla]

 

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm not like uberly depressed now or anything I just get to thinking alot recently...

And Sayd believe me you couldn't have been any more supportive and just great back then so don't even think you weren't!

So yeah, let the discussion carry on people of the forum!

[Yonkey]

Wow, what a massive topic!  I could probably write a thesis on it myself, since online vs. offline it's actually a very real issue for people and becoming more and more of one each day.

Anyway, I'd probably say I'm somewhat more extrovertive online than offline, but really it depends on how well I know you offline.  Otherwise, I'm pretty much the same person online as offline.  I'm just as respectful, honest, open-minded and hard-working offline as online.  

The thing I've noticed is that I've had offline friends that were absolutely nothing like me and others that were extremely like me.  Online friends are pretty much the same.  The common interest is being computer savvy enough to use the internet, but other then that I've met extremely different people online that I probably would never meet in real life.

What you guys said earlier is true too.  It's easier to deal with tough times and experiences online since you don't have the person right in front of you.  Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to get jokes, sarcasm and even some stories online than in person.  Facial expressions, body language, intimacy, physical closeness are all there for offline friends and that's probably why eventually, whether we like it or not, we would love to meet some of the people we talk to online one day in person if that were possible.  

The thing that's hard for people to understand is that just because your friends aren't physically in front of you, doesn't mean they aren't real.   We're not talking to soul-less, inatamate objects here, we're talking to actual people who have feelings and live and breathe just like anyone else.  

[B'rrr]

At tough times you wish that you were with that person, lol, many times my best friend told me to get to his place right away (or vica versa) when I seemed to be down when I was talking online ; )

it is easy if that person lives close (ie. offline friend too) much harder, if he isn't around ; \

The thing that's hard for people to understand is that just because your friends aren't physically in front of you, doesn't mean they aren't real.   We're not talking to soul-less, inatamate objects here, we're talking to actual people who have feelings and live and breathe just like anyone else.  

hahahhaha... lol, so close to say something I shouldn't     ; )

[racx_00]

Ok and here is what i have to say

My online friends are like my offline friends, i act the same around offline friends as i do online friends (thats as a sarcastic prick as you all know ), anyway i dont see the difference between online and offline friends, they are still friends and they should be treated the same thats my opinion anyway. There is one major difference though, you cant see eachother or hear each other , but still i lub my online friends just as much as my offline ones

[copycat]

It's much easier for me to 'approach' someone online than offline. Offline I wait for someone else to make first contact, but online I am more likely to make first contact. Online friendships can be rewarding, but eventually RL has to take over.
I'm also more 'open' online. If these threads could be translated to a real life conversation, you would most definitely hear me a lot less than you can read me now.
Anyway, if an online friend comes to you for help, I believe you should help that friend in any way you can.

[Yonkey]

It's much easier for me to 'approach' someone online than offline. Offline I wait for someone else to make first contact, but online I am more likely to make first contact. Online friendships can be rewarding, but eventually RL has to take over.
I'm also more 'open' online. If these threads could be translated to a real life conversation, you would most definitely hear me a lot less than you can read me now.
Anyway, if an online friend comes to you for help, I believe you should help that friend in any way you can.

My thoughts exactly!  I'd just add that I've been able to approach people before offline, but maintaining an interesting conversation with them is definitely my roadblock.  As soon as you run out of stuff to say, it's like... awkward silence.  

I guess there are so many more things to talk about, do or show online than in RL, so it's pretty hard to be completely bored.  Though, I have had it happen before.  

[Louisiana Night]

I don't have or want a webcam, with a 56k connection, people seem less real than typing. Even though I've never tryed webcamming, I assume I'd get the same results I get from a live video feed. If you've ever seen how somone looks when they move, while turning the lights on and off in a room, it's like that.

[Kimmie]

yeh i hav seen it too! i got a pic of u smiling didnt i!  

[Kimmie]

i know! what would we do without the internet and email?
Say and neil and the rest of the crew would hav lives...and maybe a little less stress
none of us would know each other
kings quest IX wouldnt be made...

[Say]

I probably would have never even met Cesar or Dean or Neil or ANY of you, and now that's a sad thought. Im glad no matter what it is the way it is.

[Kimmie]

its not a sad thought Say because u did meet us all   its a happy thought  

[Yonkey]

 

Yeah, I can't even imagine a world without the Internet anymore.

[J-ROC]

Funny, the internet (or local bulletin boards, back in the day, with my 2400 baud modem) is how I've met some of my best friends evur.

Things would most definitely be different for me.

Not sure if I'd get out of the house more or less, though.

And the only good side to not having internet is that I probably wouldn't have carpal tunnel syndrome.  I guess it's worth it.

[Yonkey]

A world without the internet.... wow.  I'd like to say I'd be with my offline friends more, but honestly I have no idea if that's even true.

I used to watch TONS of TV and listen to the radio a lot in my pre-Internet days.  I did use the computer a lot too, but not as much as those other two.  I might become a phone-junkie again, most likely replacing the online addiction with a new and exciting cell phone addiction.  Heh.  Spooky.

[InvertedSilence]

I dont think internet replaced my social life as much as it replaced my sleep.

[J-ROC]

Having been awake for 44 hours straight at one time, I have concluded this:

Sleep is for chumps.

[Louisiana Night]

Sleep=bad