I've found online relationships (including friendly ones), when done well, can be a kind of turbocharged version of a real life relationship. Of course, you have to be very careful it is not an insular one. One person can lead you up the garden path. The more people they also interact with, that you also interact with, the less likey it becomes that this is all some sort of act. It becomes absurd, after a point, to think that.

Of course there is always room for doubt, but that's just as true in real life. Online relationships present many opportunities to demonstrate being trustworthy and reliable. As long as you keep your wits about you and have a healthy amount of scepticism, there's really nothing holding you back. Things like video calls add even more, because it obviously removes the possibility of them being someone totally unlike they describe. Group chats add yet another dimension. And so on.

It just depends. I spend way more time with online friends than I do offline. For people who are the other way round, they're much more likely to vouch for people they know in person instead. In my experience, those I've known in person have let me down continually. As I said, I have only one blood relative on the list and it's not an immediate one; and only one other person from the first 30-ish years of my life.

I feel I've been astronomically lucky with the quality of people I have met on this forum, who have accepted me as a friend.

IRL? Five, maybe six - which is more than I initially thought.

OddlyI think I find it easier to build trust online than IRL.

I guess I should have been clear that this includes both online and offline. I'll update the OP!

People in general frustrate me (at least IRL), but my family is fairly solid. Honestly, AF constitutes most of the people I like. And even with AF, there are certain posters I mesh with better than others (and those posters may or may not feel mutually).

2, The wife and my best bud.

(September 1, 2016 at 8:51 am)Alasdair Ham Wrote: Because guess what... the internet is real life too.

Yeah, but don't forget that I'm not a very trusting person for reasons I would only divulge in a personal conversation. And secondly you can be everything you want on the internet. It doesn't say you're talking to the real person behind any sig.

As I said, going by what I see here, I like quite a few members here.

(September 1, 2016 at 9:31 am)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote: OddlyI think I find it easier to build trust online than IRL.

Completely and totally my experience too.

In my experience IRL people are too busy with their phone... talking to people online!!

Irony!!!

(September 1, 2016 at 9:20 am)robvalue Wrote: I've found online relationships (including friendly ones), when done well, can be a kind of turbocharged version of a real life relationship. Of course, you have to be very careful it is not an insular one. One person can lead you up the garden path. The more people they also interact with, that you also interact with, the less likey it becomes that this is all some sort of act. It becomes absurd, after a point, to think that.

Of course there is always room for doubt, but that's just as true in real life. Online relationships present many opportunities to demonstrate being trustworthy and reliable. As long as you keep your wits about you and have a healthy amount of scepticism, there's really nothing holding you back. Things like video calls add even more, because it obviously removes the possibility of them being someone totally unlike they describe. Group chats add yet another dimension. And so on.

It just depends. I spend way more time with online friends than I do offline. For people who are the other way round, they're much more likely to vouch for people they know in person instead. In my experience, those I've known in person have let me down continually. As I said, I have only one blood relative on the list and it's not an immediate one; and only one other person from the first 30-ish years of my life.

I feel I've been astronomically lucky with the quality of people I have met on this forum, who have accepted me as a friend.

This post is teeming with value. As per usual! Can't expect any less from Mr. Kabob!

(September 1, 2016 at 9:59 am)abaris Wrote:

(September 1, 2016 at 8:51 am)Alasdair Ham Wrote: Because guess what... the internet is real life too.

Yeah, but don't forget that I'm not a very trusting person for reasons I would only divulge in a personal conversation. And secondly you can be everything you want on the internet. It doesn't say you're talking to the real person behind any sig.

As I said, going by what I see here, I like quite a few members here.

I'm not going to say that you're being defensive but if you felt that my post warranted a defense it really didn't . I wasn't saying you're wrong I was just giving you my own perspective which happens to be different to yours

Just making sure. I'm not saying that you're saying I'm saying you're wrong either. I'm not saying you're being defensive, as I said -- I'm not saying that -- but that happens to be the vibe I got so if I misinterpreted you I apologize

Eight.