4 responses to “Is this the real life?: Connectedness makes IRL all the sweeter”
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I have many friends “online” – in fact, I have better friends around the world who I met on the internet, than I do have IRL. My absolute best friend, my husband, started out as an “online” friend.. and now here we are – married and together IRL.
I don’t get the whole “IRL is better” idea at all.
Yes, sometimes (on a FEW occasions) it IS nice to meet people (Friends) in person somewhere.
But for some of us (introverted geeks) it’s so much easier to be ourselves, when we are not worrying about social interaction/fitting in in real life.
I love being connected with my online friends. I do love to see my in person friends every now and then, but I don’t thrive on personal/physical interaction. I guess I am not that gregarious. -
I agree… this binary argument is obsolete, bankrupt. It’s similar to my pet peeve with “social” media. All media is social in some way or another. We will stop using these terms and this idea soon. No one talks about being “on the phone” or “off the phone” or as having a “pen pal friend.” We make friends. We communicate. We use tools to do these things sometimes. That’s assumed.
I’ll have to rethink my lexicon now. Thanks, Buddy. ;P
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The introversion dimension is an interesting one for this subject too. Is a digital space/communication/relationship sometimes superior to one where we meet in physical space? The answer’s “Sometimes, yes”.
And are relationships that began or anchor themselves in the physical world enhanced with online communication. Of course. If weren’t able to stay in touch in so many ways we would simply have to have fewer friends. How dull.
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Absolutely. Neologisms are only useful while things are new and then we have to let them fall away or be absorbed into the lexicon of the everyday.
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