are online friends as valuable as friends in real life

Real friends are the ones we can really trust. I don't think, however, that online friends aren't showing their real personalities (except for those who are great pretenders for whatever reason). In fact, I sometimes find it easier to talk to someone who doesn't know me, or those who haven't really seen me. I guess we should all be careful, but not judgmental, when making friends, be it online or real life buddies. Have a great day!

I didnt think so before. But recently i've met the most adorable guy on a site. I will talk to him a lot more. When iam online with cam and sound with anyone, it's almost like you are hanging out with in person. It's so cool like the Jetsons cartoon phones. LOL! I feel maybe you can get to know a person like that.

I have to disagree with you. I have a fantastic online friend whom I would never have met had we not been online. She is from MA and I am in FL. We have loads in common and email each other all the time. We share our joys,frustrations and everything in between. We encourage each other when we are down and build each other up. If that is not a real friendship that should be valued as much as any other friendship then I don't know what one is.

For me online friends can never be real friends. We can see our real friends and judge how genuine they are. With online friends it can never be that way. I have a few online friends whom I have never met and we chat almost everyday. But I can never be open with them the way I am with my real friends. I will never be able to trust them coz just thru emails I cannot judge how genuine they are.

Online friends can be every bit as valuable as real life friends. There is a lot to be said of meeting people online instead of face to face. As long as you are aware that people can be whoever they choose to be when they are online and that it doesn't necessarily mean they are 100% who they say they are, there shouldn't be any problems. Sometimes making friends with people online is an easier thing because then you get to know the person's personality instead of the person's physical being. Admittedly, the physical part can sometimes get in the way. Whenever you have an online friend, it's generally easier to say things and talk about things that you might not normally be able to say or talk about face to face with someone. Anyone that cares about you or about the things that you go through should be a valuable friend regardless of where you met them or where you talk to them at.

To me, online friends are just that . . . online friends. I'm not likely to meet them in person. I enjoy chatting with someone from across the ocean. It is fun to compare lives that are so similar, but yet so different. It is like having a penpal. I would never trust meeting someone for a romantic interest because I don't feel you ever get to know the "real" person in an online relationship. You can too easily delete and re-write something and take time to think out your answers and make what you say be what the other person wants to hear. It's like that in personal relationships at first. When you start dating, both are on their best behavior. It doesn't last. Well, most are on their best behavior online. Face-to-face would be a whole other ballgame. I do enjoy the penpal aspect of it and really look forward to and enjoy receiving responses from certain online friends. It can really lift me up on a particularly bad day . . . but I remind myself, it isn't a true relationship.

Online friends are valuable as your regular friends, but for different reasons. There are some things that I cannot tell my friends in the real world, but I can tell here on myLot for example, just as there is the reverse. For instance, my friend who is in the Netherlands visiting her family knows my street address, phone number, and email address, while no one here on myLot knows it. Therefore I can tell how I feel about certain controversial subjects, etc. without fearing that one of them may drive up to my house armed with a kitchen knife, etc. And consequently I will not expect someone from myLot to drop in unexpectedly wanting coffee and a full meal when there is nothing in the house.

Hi zhoushuzhen-it depends really I have the great pleasure in meeting a couple of people on mylot and treasure their friendship-yet there again when you meet or talk to some one from another country on mylot even though you are 'virtual' friends there can still be a 'bond' between you both yet you couldn't call them a true friend as you haven't met them-littleowl

anyone that would earn the status of "friend" would be trusted and cared for, whether face to face or just online. most of my online friends have crossed over into real life friends as well, and those who havent, the opportunity to meet in person just hasnt presented itself, but WILL eventually. i dont see the difference between online or "real" honestly.. if people are going to be deceptive, theyre going to be regardless of where you meet them.

Ofcourse,but all are not as you are thinking and I suggest you one example,when we cook some cereals like rice,we donot have to see whole meal ,only by seeing one rice seed we can come to know its cooked,in the same maner when you come for discussions online only be in touch whom you believe.If we doubt every one no one we can trust and we cannot make friends.

I would have to say yes. I have a handful from my blog that I hold really dear! We share gifts, pictures and other things. These ladies hold me up when I need them, laugh with me whe I'm happy, and the list goes on. The relationship goes both ways, I do the same for them. I'm still real nervous about some from the Internet, but I have found that even people that you thought you knew well your whole life, you really don't always know the person. I have trust issues! I guess that's why it easier to have a friendship over the net than in person. I know I didn't make myself clear 100%, but I hope I painted a pretty good picture.

It all depends on your circumstances. I am disabled, and find it hard to get out and meet people, or even keep up with friends in the real world. So most of my friends are online friends. Some I've known for years and trust completely. Others are simply buddies I chat with about life, weather etc. As for being non trusting - why? Unless they ask for money (which means they weren't true friends) whats to be skeptical about?

I think so . I got a friend onlie just several days ago .if I didnt met her I never thought I would find a friend like her who is have soo many things with me in common! we r broth like handwriting , ancient chinese cloths , musics , games ...and we r both have some same belief .when one of us asked "do u know ..."the aswswer always "yes!!!!"such a coincidence !! and she is from EU and I am from china. dont u think it's god made this? and that night was the first for me prayed before go to bed in my life.

It all depends on who it is you are talking too! I have reunited with friends from high school online and that is very valuable to me. If you don't plan on meeting them in person, then I would just have fun with it. Don't take it seriously. If it helps you to destress, then go for it! Sounds like somethings I need to try. Just don't get out to much personal info.

well those that i consider as friends out and online are all valuable to me..but not the same level as friends that are in real life...so much different i guess...

for me, it depends upon whom you consider as a friend and how you treat them. for my previous experiences, there are some online friends that became a valuable friends in me. With them, we shared some emotions and experiences in life that i haven't experience in my real friend's. Although online friends has also a disadvantage. With that, sometimes i am hesitant because i really don't know the person and his or her intentions. That why is am also cautious dealing with online friends. But in terms of its valuability, i do sometime consider online friends a valuable friend in me as a friends in real life...

If you don't trust online friends, you may be on the wrong site. Here I have made some real friends. we will never meet but we share common interests. And we have shared some life experiences too. I have had some feedback and they have said I helped with a problem. This is as real as you can get. and who's to say when you are physically with a friend they aren't wearing a social veil?People can lie to your face.Here there isn't any advantance to lying.But face to face can be more dangerous.

Many are skeptical about online friends because they do not know who exactly is sititng behind the monitor chatting with them. However, as for me, I have many online friends who are know for a fact 100% they are who they say they are even if we never met because we chat not only chat online, but via phone, have webcam, have interact on forums, have shared photos etc. Also, other members on many forums where I have made my online friends have chanced to meet them, and share photos of such meeting so I know they are real. So yes, I would venture to say my online friends are just as valuable to em as my real life friends....to me, real life friends are more in touch with you because they are there physically when you need a friend to just sit and talk face to face with....but when all is said and done, online or offline they are all valuable in their own way and bring something to the friendship.

I agree with you. I've said it before when I was still a newbie here. But it's the truth for me. It seems impossible to form a real relationship with anyone through the internet. I look for trust and loyalty in a relationship and I don't see how I can get those from the people I've met online. I don't even see them!

One thing that I love with online friends is that you can talk anything you like even your deepest secrets without the fear of having it known because firstly, he/she doesn't literally know you or know your friends or family. However, I still cherish my offline friends for they are the greatest, available in times of happiness and tears.