A Sunday morning Ramble
Are online friends real?
I think it's a question we, as online people, get asked about or told about a lot.
This is my story of how I see online friends, told in a roundabout way, a rambling way, the way I am comfortable telling a tale.
I see the internet as my backyard, my monitor as my white picket fence. Steemit then becomes my newspaper.
When morning comes, I grab my coffee, go out to my backyard to read the newspaper.
First stop is the current event's to start my morning off right. There I get caught up on all that happened in my internet world as I slept. Reading all kinds of stories. Ones that make me laugh, others that might bring me to tears, the last ones needing my attention soon.
When I'm all caught up in current affairs, hopefully, enough caffeine has been consumed to get my brain working again for the day.
Thanking people for being so kind to me and reading things I have written is next on my list of things to do. They have taken time out of their busy day to leave me a note to brighten my day to which I am always grateful. Those notes are the priceless gifts of my day.
My journey next takes me to the pages of my friends. From there it's my turn to leave a note to brighten someone's day or give advice if I think it's needed. I don't worry about 'wanted' because no one really wants advice.
Advice is that weird thing, where you want to hear the answers to your untold questions, but you really, really don't. Advice means action needs to be taken, by you, and you alone. Most people, I included, really don't like change so shy away from asking for advice. Not that that stops me from giving advice left and right! Taking it is another matter.
All caught up within my internet world of friends, it's now time to see if any are online. If I'm lucky, I get to walk up to the white picket fence and chat about the things real life friends chat about but in type.
Now, this is where things get interesting with online friends.
You see most people watch what they say and how much they say when talking to someone face to face. It's the eye's of the flesh and blood person you have to look into, tell them your deepest dreams and thoughts that stops most people from expressing any of those ideas when asked 'how are you doing?'.
"Fine!", then becomes your answer.
You are not fine, most days. Do have a lot to say but looking into someone's eye's after they have had a long day, just wants a drink at the bar, fine is the answer most will give and get.
Now online friends are already relaxing, unless you are someone I know with way too many accounts to deal with, beverage next to them, comfy clothes already on, bra's a thing of the past.
Most are tired by the end of their day and just want to chill in their home but that doesn't mean they are dead. They like a good chat as much as anyone but want to do it in their jammies.
Then what happens, over the course of time, chatting with your online friends, you say more to them in private then you would to your real life friends. There is something about typing your feelings out that isn't as bad when a person's eyes are looking you in the face.
The day comes.
You realize the friend, you have never met in the flesh, talked to in type most days, knows more about you than any other real-life friend.
So to answer the new age question: are online friends real?
Oh, Hell Yeah!
and that is my ramble for the day.
Happy Sunday Everyone!!
Snook
If you would like to read some of my other posts they can be found by clicking the likes below.
I would submit that Internet Friends are not more or less "real" than any other friends. Sometimes Internet friends may even be more real because we feel more relaxed and free to be ourselves in this environment.
Bright Blessings!
@whitelightxpress I SO SO agree with you there!!! but I'm tired and didn't want to start the whole debate about real vs online to such a degree.
Thank You!!! though for bringing it up!!!!!!!!!!
hugs
The philosopher Plato was quoted saying:
I used to play an online game named Lineage 2 and there joined a "clan" of players. I knew more about them and them about me in about 3 weeks of play than I knew about people I meet face-to-face on a daily basis. :Þ
They were just more "real" , there was no need to put up walls and pretenses.
Love that quote!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
This is incredibly insightful. I could pour my heart out and be vulnerable with the online community, yet close myself off even to my closest family members, and they get annoyed for feeling second fiddle to Steemit. It's a balance I guess!! Great ramble!! ❤
I so agree with this @snowpea!!
thank you so much for stopping by and reading!
This is so perfectly true, a wonderful example of what this amazing blockchain platform can do for people - whoever they are around the work - bringing them together and sharing whatever they like. And sometimes sharing helps, we might be lucky and have friendly neighbours to call on and chat to, or work colleagues that will listen. But sometimes there is nobody, and you just want to maybe share a thought, pass a little time or try to forget something bad by occupying your time. Steemit is the greatest for this, I started out on the Internet when telnet newsgroups were the thing - some twenty five years ago and since I have watched it grow and develop. I did too, it built my business as I learned and grew my e-commerce websites it has been an invaluable tool. Just like our real world life, the internet has many pitfalls and for the many good, there are the minority that would do bad or take for their own gain. Personally, I don't want to let them win, so many good people exist together we can enjoy and share together while looking out for each other and making sure we can post and share our experiences without worry. Online friends are real people, just like if I have a real life friend who needs help, support in any way so my virtual community always have my support and backing. Superb post, my only worry is however much time I spent trying to reply to it still is not enough.
#thealliance
You amaze me my new friend in how much time you take to show everyone how much you care and that you are always there for people when they need you.
I have read what you wrote a bunch of times and you are saying just how I feel about on line friends and people.
I agree there are bad people out there, lucky for me I have not run in to too many but I'm very lucky that my friends watch out for me too as they think I'm too trusting. so it all works in the end.
and now, just like you, I feel like I have not written enough to express how much your comment meant to me!! I hope you get some much needed sleep!!
A friend can be just as real on the net as in real life and I have met some of my closest friends here on steemit😉
I think you can get to know a person very well just by writing and talking.
Awsome written my friend. Cheers!
Thank you!! and thanks for stopping!! <3
I meet my wif eonline so I would say online relationships can ve veyr reeal, and for me I do believe they are, there are some that dont think that and they feel its all a game but I stay away from players like that
on Steemit I have found most are real and have met so many amazing people
I REALLY agree with you @tattodjay Steemit is a very special place that I have seen so far. hugs
😎👍😎
Glad to have you in The Alliance ;) I really enjoyed your blog and also this post. I find the emotions just as intense and sometimes even more "real" online as in "real life". We all are people behind our blogs and words...."nice post :P "
B.A.
I'm very happy to be there :D Thank you so much for having me!!! and the wonderful chat tonight!! :D
I completely agree that online friends, the kind with whom you come to exchange confidences, are real friends. The truth is, most of the IRL people we call “friends” are really just acquaintances with whom we always maintain the masks and never share anything of depth. Sometimes, those IRL folks kept at that distance are even kin.
I actually have a similar take regarding online interactions: My profile is my space just as much as is my home. The public profile posts are like my front porch; If I feel a connection to them, I’ll invite pretty much anyone to sit a spell in the rockers on my front porch. I’ll readily block someone abusive or rude online; There are some folks for whom I will not open my storm door and join them on porch. But, the folks who are “friended” are the ones whom I invite into my orbit; I don’t invite just anyone into my living room. And, if someone goes too far online, I will report them in a heartbeat, including – if deemed necessary – the Cyber Crimes unit online or my local authorities; if someone goes to far in my home, they’re out… in my yard or my neighborhood, I’ll sick the cops on ‘em before the rabbits can scatter.
(We have rabbits all over our neighborhood which scatter in every direction when someone opens their front doors. LOL)
Beautifully said! ♡♡ love you!
Thank you!! <3 Love you too!!
It's a beautiful post @snook 'cause we, as a family, share our thoughts, joys and sorrows and, most of the time, people who are behind a PC has much more will to read you than anybody else - just like you said.
Nice post and, of course, we all are your real friends!
Thank you so much for stopping @felobtc !!! :D