Can Online Friends Be Real?
By zinda_soula
@zinda_soula (26)
South Korea
April 5, 2012 5:42am CST
There is a matter of debate if online friends can be real. Well, I may say being a novice in mylot. I may not know these people online but in some ways hey helped me to look at life from a different perspective. Reading someone's blog helped me become acquainted with them, sharing common background made me get to know them more.
On the other hand, we shouldn't easily divulge so much about ourselves for we don't know if they can really be trusted.
5 people like this
25 responses
@allknowing (137906)
• India
6 Apr 12
I have been in online forums for a few years now and so far I have had just one on line friend who has in fact visited me. It is difficult to decide on converting virtual friends into real ones. It is only after exchanging emails, photos, phone numbers that one can safely choose ones friends.
1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
6 Apr 12
Mornin...dearheart!
I think the same dynamics apply, in the cyber world, as the real world..and the only difference is the tangibility! And that, I find, can be one of the biggest deceivers..relying on my sense of sight! SEE it..analize it, other senses of "survival" kick OUT...and I am deceived! I often I feel, I know more..like more, about my cyber friends, as I can read their written thoughts...and over time make a value based judgment!
Possibly, I am just not blessed with good "assessment" qualities, in real life...as everything is so, in the moment!
My, my....now we see a lovely photo...of my most favourite (maybe--now pomegranate is creeping in,too) fruit in the whole world...and if you tell me that is in your Garden..I will spend the day incessantly jealous!
Easter...my favourite time of the year, other than it being a harbinger of Spring...it is also the time I can walk around eating Chocolate..all the time, and my response...the "Easter bunny" was good to me!
!
Have a special time, dearheart...however you respect this holiday! Miss you!
@allknowing (137906)
• India
6 Apr 12
The tangibilityfactor is the main issue when comparing the real and the virtual world. It is easy to have virtual friends as we have no commitment whatsoever as opposed to in the real world. At the same time we find virtual friends with common interests and that is the main reason why we interact. This is rare in the real world, as we go for those who are in the vicinity and it is only good luck that we come across those with whom we gel.
I am glad you alerted me about Easter and my new avatar will testify that! My old avatar was that of pine apples which grow in my garden. Happy Easter Perga....
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
6 Apr 12
Yes, online friends can be real friends only if you get to know them more as if like you shared most of your knowledge or lives to each other. You will know if they are true to you if you have shared most of your lives with them. Like you said it's hard to trust all of your friends online but then it is nice to add some new friends that you know will be true to you. I guess it depends on what you have talked about and how you've known them.
In here, I have made friends I have never met but then I know we have been close that we even chat outside of here and made some calls also. I know they are sincere and can be called true friends as well.
1 person likes this
@cloud31 (5809)
•
6 Apr 12
Exactly and that online friends can be more intimate that those in real lives..I have friends here as well and have chat with them too.Laughing and share some happiness in life as well as sorrow. And I felt that warm closeness we had. Anyway I believe online friends can be real too.
1 person likes this
@derek_a (10873)
•
6 Apr 12
I have found that the people I meet on line in forums such as myLot are very friendly and helpful and I have had much advice on things I know little about. I have also given advice in my field of knowledge. What is good is that these friends come from all over the world, and what it strange, is that I only know them through what they have written, and what pictures they may have displayed and that I will will probably never get to meet them outside of the computer world. They are real friends, of that I have no doubt.. _Derek
_Derek
@sjvg1976 (41290)
• Delhi, India
6 Apr 12
Hello Zinda,
I don't beleive on online friends but thats my opinion.May be for others they may be as good as offline friends.
These days ue to increase in cyber crimes people must be cautious and should try to know him/her better before indulging in closed friendship.
May be for others they may be as good as offline friends.
These days ue to increase in cyber crimes people must be cautious and should try to know him/her better before indulging in closed friendship.
@notabilia (2)
•
5 Apr 12
I agree with chicgale. Even i have some online friends and later i met one of my online friend . But, I even heard there are a few who do it for fun changing names which is not advisable as they are playing with people's feelings.
2 people like this
@aprilsong (1884)
• China
5 Apr 12
Of course online friends can be real. But we should be more carefuly in dealing with online friends. There are so many people take advantage of internet and cheat others. I have heard so many news about some girls are robbed and killed by their so-called online friends. Since we have rare chance to know enough about these people, we should be more discreet in making decisions such as arrange a meeting.
The internet has changed our life to a large extent. On aspect is the way of making friends. I think all of us have lots of online friends, we may have not met them in real, but they play very important role in our life. For me, the benefits i got from my online friends are knowledges and information.
1 person likes this
@laken02 (3065)
• United States
7 Apr 12
for one i dont tell anything online that i would not want to get out.. im kinda a private person to some extent.. but i feel like online friends can be trusted
i have actualy made 2 really good friiends online that lived local and we met,
not thur mylot.. but became great friends and they have helped me alot in my time of need i actualy love the fact that when i need to vent i can e-mail them anytime and that is so awesome.. as for mylot i think my husband even knows some people on mylot lol becasue i talk about what good people i have met on here and that i chat with the same people every day and it is so neat way better then facebook..
but you do make a great point..
@shenlynn7823 (641)
• Philippines
5 Apr 12
we can't deny the fact that there are fakes in this online world....but REAL people who become our REAL friends are also lots.I have lots of friends I meet online & up to this moment we remain as good friends and I'm not talking about months but 12 years and believe me sometimes they are the ones who give me good advises and they've helped me in many ways.
1 person likes this
@Cherish14 (2693)
• Philippines
5 Apr 12
hi there,
i have made a discussion about looking for friends online just recently hehehe but i don't think it is really that big of a deal because i don't even know if that is what i really want. i know there are a lot of people who will just take advantage of you. some maybe real but there are still a lot who can't be trusted.
i always put in mind that we cant even trust those who are just around us, how much more those we can't even see.
1 person likes this
@cearn25 (3456)
• Philippines
5 Apr 12
They can be. Meeting new friends only is another way and very different from the usual. I have this friend of mine who have friends whom she have met via online. They video chat as a group because they share common interest despite of differences of culture and language. It is not a hindrance. Until one day they met and I think it is really a nice experience.
1 person likes this
@else22 (4317)
• India
5 Apr 12
It depends on many things.I think,they can't be real friends till they are only online friends and then end up remaining online friends.It depends on whether you get a chance to meet them in person and begin liking them after knowing their habits,nature and tendencies.We,as you have rightly written,don't disclose everything about us online.What we write about us is only,say,tip of the iceberg.So even after making friends with others,we actually don't know about each other in true sense of the term.That's why I think,it depends on many things.
1 person likes this
@jinky2012 (438)
• Philippines
23 Apr 12
yes it can be.Through exchanging thought with each other you will know how sincere your friends are.Keep in touch with each other is a big part of it...I have one friend of mine that i just know through online and made it works.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
6 Apr 12
There people that really want to have online friend. There are friend online that real and there friend that only called friend because we add them...but for I really want to have real friend online that I regularly message her, chat with her and talk something about anything in this life
@Angelindisguise (378)
• India
6 Apr 12
Hi,
Some are real friends .
Some are fake one here.
You should always be careful .
You can not trust each n every on-line friend
@nangisha (3495)
• Indonesia
6 Apr 12
Its takes time to see which one really nice and sincere person. But I already find many of them. I am joining gardening group online and I meet many people with the same interest. We are sharing our seed, seeking advice on our gardening issues and proudly show our harvest to each others.
Sometimes we even buy seed, gardening equipment together so we can had the cheapest price. When we meet offline its feel like meet an old friend and we had endless conversation. We can talk about every thing and care about each other...
@ap0calyptic (921)
• Slovenia
6 Apr 12
some are real, some are fake. there's no way to differ, but usually real ones will pretty much act like those friends you already have, that u know them personally, they will be caring, helpful, ask about your day, problems, try to helpt you solve them, trust you theirs etc. so thats kind of a way to tell a bit of difference, tho even fakes can act to some extent, but sooner or lateer you would spot them ;)
@sparky3dfan (599)
•
6 Apr 12
'Online' friends can be just the same as 'offline' friends if you ask me. I've been bitten by some vicious so called online friends but at the same time some online friends have been nothing but friends from day 1 and those are the friends that will stick by you no matter how you feel or what you've done (within reason of course). People will usually judge a book by its cover offline but online they seem to judge them by their personality more. Funny how that works.
I've got a few 'online' friends ive know for a few years now ranging from 1 yr - 8 yrs. I trust everyone of them. However I also had a few 'friends' I seen their true colors in a matter of weeks quite honestly and I just move on and say to myself oh well another one bites the dust.
Its the same for me offline recently I just told a 'friend' to go to hell (basically) for something he did to his ex gf then tried to accuse me for whatever reason. I don't have the time nor patience for people who are ready to throw you to the 'lions' to save their own skin.
@xemorth (70)
• Australia
6 Apr 12
Yes, I do believe online friends are real. Whether they are false or not, you have formed a kinship with them in one way or another. A friend is a friend. Therefore I believe that they are 'real'. I have found however (my personal experience) that online friendships tend to end quicker, or an a more sudden way
