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In this day and age more and more friendships, and even relationships are starting online. I have a few friends who I met online towards the start of college who I am still pretty close with now. One of my best friends is someone who used to be an online friend and we now talk on the phone a few times a day, e-mail and chat regularly, but have never actually been in the same state!
Cyber friends are a good thing... as long as they remain cyber! Nobody shows all aspects of his/her personality online. For me, for instance, it's a nice escape where I get to be playful and try to forget all the frustrations and problems in real life. Once you get to know people behind the scenes, even if you haven't met, the magic disappears somewhat and the mundane reality starts being discussed and what fun is THAT... Particularly if you meet and even if you haven't, it's natural to start editing yourself more or less in an attempt not to hurt your friend and you may no longer express your true opinion on a topic they post as opposed to the response you'd give to just another screen name, even though attachments to just screen names develop as well...
Of course, all this being said I still don't discount the idea of meeting good real-life friends online. It's possible and welcome.
I disagree too. DH and I recently moved to a new city, and were lucky to discover that we had a friend from Europe already living here. She had met a bunch of gals our age online and was meeting up with them regularly. I now post occassionally on that message board too and we all meet up about once every couple of weeks. Believe me they are still very honest on there, sometimes scarily so!!
I think knowing the people behind the screen names, actually adds to the interest rather than distracts from it. After all we live a real life, and while I enjoy being on the forum as much as the next person, real life is what matters most.
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Originally Posted by Claire_F
I couldn't disagree more. My marriage of six-plus years started out as an online friendship. I also have close friends from another forum where I've been a member for over seven years now, and I've met several of them in person as well. We know each other very well, warts and all. We've been through death of parents, death of a spouse (who was also a friend and active member of the forum), more than one couple meeting via the forums, and more than one child born as a result. We've had several go through illnesses and surgeries (including one battling cancer). One member is currently dealing with the serious (and possibly terminal) illness of her mother. In every case, the support from other members has been immense and powerful.
When my father passed away five years ago, most of the "friends" in my mother's life disappeared. (Unfortunately, that's an all-too-common occurrence.) We finally found a forum for widows of all ages, including seniors. She's still very active on that forum, and about a dozen of them have gotten to be very close. So close that my husband and I set up a private message board for them, and they have had several get-togethers over the years, at different locations around the country. She has said to me that these people have saved her life.
BTW, my mother is 75 years old.
Exactly. Glad for your Mom that she has met these new friends!
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Originally Posted by sierraAZ
Being anonymous (somewhat) gives you the opportunity to be honest. As we all know, complete honesty can be highly overrated in the real world. You always have to spare feelings and avoid arguments.
Well, in the context of this particular forum... I'd say getting together with a total stranger is a tempting fantasy... Wait a minute... I've accomplished it once and still kinda regret another missed opportunity due to the guy being on a business trip with a whole bunch of coworkers... Now I spoiled the innocent warm and fuzzy thread!
This is true also, but I am honest with everyone, including my real life friends. I might think about a less shocking way to put things, but the meaning will be exactly the same. I'm not interested in real life friends who I can't be honest with.
Of course I am more interested in meeting with women, or everyone together (as in the CD Relationships forum GTG ), not guy's on business trips - we'll leave that to you single gals! Just look at Sweden and Rance, you never know where an online friendship could end up!
It's funny being on a forum with people you've never met in your life, and by just reading what they post you start liking these people and begin to bond.
I disagree too. DH and I recently moved to a new city, and were lucky to discover that we had a friend from Europe already living here. She had met a bunch of gals our age online and was meeting up with them regularly. I now post occassionally on that message board too and we all meet up about once every couple of weeks. Believe me they are still very honest on there, sometimes scarily so!!
I think knowing the people behind the screen names, actually adds to the interest rather than distracts from it. After all we live a real life, and while I enjoy being on the forum as much as the next person, real life is what matters most.
Exactly. Glad for your Mom that she has met these new friends!
This is true also, but I am honest with everyone, including my real life friends. I might think about a less shocking way to put things, but the meaning will be exactly the same. I'm not interested in real life friends who I can't be honest with.
Of course I am more interested in meeting with women, or everyone together (as in the CD Relationships forum GTG ), not guy's on business trips - we'll leave that to you single gals! Just look at Sweden and Rance, you never know where an online friendship could end up!
As I told you in the rep, too, I'll illustrate my point. I'd like to comment on your post, but I won't as I've reasons not to... See? Self-editing!
Bozo is selective and doesn't care for compliments from wrong sources!
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Nobody shows all aspects of his/her personality online. For me, for instance, it's a nice escape where I get to be playful and try to forget all the frustrations and problems in real life. Once you get to know people behind the scenes, even if you haven't met, the magic disappears somewhat and the mundane reality starts being discussed and what fun is THAT...
Particularly if you meet and even if you haven't, it's natural to start editing yourself more or less in an attempt not to hurt your friend and you may no longer express your true opinion on a topic they post as opposed to the response you'd give to just another screen name, even though attachments to just screen names develop as well...
), not guy's on business trips - we'll leave that to you single gals! 
