Question:
(and please DO leave your answer in the comments section. I have a site reader and know who is reading my blog, so DO respond)
Do you think your real life relationships are changed/altered/dimished/helped/hurt by your online relationships (your facebook/blogging/skype/gchat relationships). Many relationships will have both real life and online components, but my question is if and how the online component is affecting the real life component.
(and please DO leave your answer in the comments section. I have a site reader and know who is reading my blog, so DO respond)
Do you think your real life relationships are changed/altered/dimished/helped/hurt by your online relationships (your facebook/blogging/skype/gchat relationships). Many relationships will have both real life and online components, but my question is if and how the online component is affecting the real life component.
Comments
Can you really tell who subscribes to your RSS feed, or is it some other means of tracking?
I agree with this'fireescape' person, whoever he/she may be ;) WINK, that when you are are close to people who are far away, facebook, email, and gchat are very helpful in keeping you connected, no matter the distance .. Like, the internet has allowed me to know that you have a new do and that friend of ours, rachel rath-cast has taken up wedding photography ..
I think phonecalls can be more intimate in a way, but also, I can organize my thoughts better in letters (emails) -
ALSO, even for friends who are nearby, as you know (yes you becka!!) when you have a tight schedule, the internet helps you to squeeze in convos when you might otherwise not be able to .. (i.e., when I sneak in a gchat with you when I am 'working')
I think it is important to not let an internet relationship be a substitute for the real thing, but when you can't physically be with someone, and when you aren't a phone person, I don't think the internet hurts .. and dammit i love looking at people's pictures!!
XOXOXOXOXOXO!
Rachel, I think you make a good point about long distance relationships and the necessity for digital communication.
Kallie, NO ONE will EVER doubt your social skills! :)
and slu, I love your prioritization... very korean of you! I have a site meter where I can see the location of whoever reads my blog. It obviously doesn't give me names, but locations are oftentimes good enough.
Anonymous... hmmm....
yes, I do think "real" relationships are injured, in a way, by online relationships. My reasoning is basic my fellow speech communicator! Miscommunication. The evil of all evils. Email, gchat, facebook, whatever, lacks the personal emotion, tone, emphasis that often makes communication as successful as it is. Maybe I really meant "your" when I wrote "youre" is a perfect example?? haha. xoxo.