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Online Friendships...
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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We've probably all got friends we know purely from being online. Can they be as profound and positive as real life ones or do you think they're not 'real' until you've met in person? Are they as valuable to you? Do you online friends outnumber your real life ones or vice versa? |
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This is really the only place I have purely online friends from. The nature of this site is that the aim is to meet and so the people I’ve been lucky enough to get close to I’ve made an effort to meet. I still think it’s a bit weird chatting with no intention of getting face to face. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"This is really the only place I have purely online friends from. The nature of this site is that the aim is to meet and so the people I’ve been lucky enough to get close to I’ve made an effort to meet. I still think it’s a bit weird chatting with no intention of getting face to face. "
Even those you've chatted to on here off the back of the forums? |
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"This is really the only place I have purely online friends from. The nature of this site is that the aim is to meet and so the people I’ve been lucky enough to get close to I’ve made an effort to meet. I still think it’s a bit weird chatting with no intention of getting face to face.
Even those you've chatted to on here off the back of the forums?"
I rarely PM to be honest. Any chats I do have on the forum are like this. Friendly but not enough to forge friendship. When it does happen though it’s lovely of course. It is at that point I’d start working out a ‘fancy lunch?’ conversation. |
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By *ea monkeyMan
over a year ago
Manchester (he/him) |
I do have purely online friends and they're just as 'real' as those that I have met.
It does amuse me slightly when some consider the only connection that seems to matter is when you've actually met in person, in this day and age regarding communication technology, that simply isn't the case.
You can have a very deep and rewarding relationship on any level with a person without meeting, it won't make it any less real as long as the other person feels the same as you. |
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"I do have purely online friends and they're just as 'real' as those that I have met.
It does amuse me slightly when some consider the only connection that seems to matter is when you've actually met in person, in this day and age regarding communication technology, that simply isn't the case.
You can have a very deep and rewarding relationship on any level with a person without meeting, it won't make it any less real as long as the other person feels the same as you. "
Happy to amuse you TM  |
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I have a group of online friends, we all met playing Scrabble & word games almost 20yrs ago.
The host game site closed a while back, so a Bookface group was created.
We chat every single day, we've shared highs & lows of each others lives, cried over bereavements & divorces, watched weddings in Australia by live stream, they were the first people to see my youngest son after his birth.
We're an international group, from all 4 corners of the globe, but half of us meet up every couple of years for a holiday.
To me they are like extended family.
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I do have purely online friends and they're just as 'real' as those that I have met.
It does amuse me slightly when some consider the only connection that seems to matter is when you've actually met in person, in this day and age regarding communication technology, that simply isn't the case.
You can have a very deep and rewarding relationship on any level with a person without meeting, it won't make it any less real as long as the other person feels the same as you. "
I belong to a couple of closed groups on FB for autistic women. Quite a few of them struggle with RL friendships and only really have those groups to fulfill that need. It's been said many times that technology has provided a life line for some of them. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I tend to have more friends online. Some I have met socially. Others we have gone on to have meets. There a couple who I havnt met but talk to on here and have helped me through loads of stuff. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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" I have a group of online friends, we all met playing Scrabble & word games almost 20yrs ago.
The host game site closed a while back, so a Bookface group was created.
We chat every single day, we've shared highs & lows of each others lives, cried over bereavements & divorces, watched weddings in Australia by live stream, they were the first people to see my youngest son after his birth.
We're an international group, from all 4 corners of the globe, but half of us meet up every couple of years for a holiday.
To me they are like extended family.
"
That's lovely  |
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By *eliWoman
over a year ago
. |
"Quite a few of them struggle with RL friendships and only really have those groups to fulfill that need. It's been said many times that technology has provided a life line for some of them. "
Yes, I was about to type about a few I know who find it easier to have friends on fab and communicate with them then in the real world - the life line comment is spot on.
I have more real life than virtual friends but it doesn't make the virtual lesser - depending on how I know them it can be easier to open up to the virtual, especially if from a site like this. |
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By *a LunaWoman
over a year ago
South Wales |
I only chat to men on here and they only chat to me because they have an agenda!
I’m one of those people who is friendly with everyone but gets close to no-one. On the web and in person.
For some time, due to personal circumstances, i’m just too emotionally exhausted to cope with any more demands on me - so i keep folk at arms length. If i’m someone’s friend i’d want to be a good one, be there when they needed me. I couldn’t do that right now.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think online friends are a positive thing and you can definitely be close but in a different way to real life friends.
I have a friend I've been speaking to for years. I like the level of detachment from my real life. He's probably the person who knows me best because we discuss things at a much more intimate level than I ever would in person. I can tell him anything without fear of repurcusions, he's not involved in my day to day life. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I think online friends are a positive thing and you can definitely be close but in a different way to real life friends.
I have a friend I've been speaking to for years. I like the level of detachment from my real life. He's probably the person who knows me best because we discuss things at a much more intimate level than I ever would in person. I can tell him anything without fear of repurcusions, he's not involved in my day to day life. "
I have a similar dynamic with a couple of my online friends. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I’ve met and made some fantastic friends from being on here.
2 of which I communicate with on a daily basis.
So, I guess for some, fab does actually make it into the real world |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I’m developing a very gd online friend which is lovely x 
Is that a friendship for friendships sake? "
it’s actually leading to a very nice little place |
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"I only chat to men on here and they only chat to me because they have an agenda!
I’m one of those people who is friendly with everyone but gets close to no-one. On the web and in person.
For some time, due to personal circumstances, i’m just too emotionally exhausted to cope with any more demands on me - so i keep folk at arms length. If i’m someone’s friend i’d want to be a good one, be there when they needed me. I couldn’t do that right now.
"
This is exactly me too! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think there's a shelf life to such friendships unless you actually meet ( not necessarily sexually).
People come and people go,but how they leave stays with us. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I only chat to men on here and they only chat to me because they have an agenda!
I’m one of those people who is friendly with everyone but gets close to no-one. On the web and in person.
For some time, due to personal circumstances, i’m just too emotionally exhausted to cope with any more demands on me - so i keep folk at arms length. If i’m someone’s friend i’d want to be a good one, be there when they needed me. I couldn’t do that right now.
This is exactly me too! "
I understand this totally. When I've had poor mental health I've felt terribly guilty at withdrawing from RL friends. I simply didn't have the emotional reserves to nurture friendships. |
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Not been here long enough to make any real friends.
Though I have a lot of friends on FB I'm connected to due to my job. Some of those I have met, some not.
I believe it's great to meet in person as you tend to build up an image of how you think a person will behave, think, look and so on. But on a work level that's far less important as its usually just an exchange of information rather than anything more personal. Here a meet early on is far more significant to me/us. J
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I do have purely online friends and they're just as 'real' as those that I have met.
It does amuse me slightly when some consider the only connection that seems to matter is when you've actually met in person, in this day and age regarding communication technology, that simply isn't the case.
You can have a very deep and rewarding relationship on any level with a person without meeting, it won't make it any less real as long as the other person feels the same as you.
I belong to a couple of closed groups on FB for autistic women. Quite a few of them struggle with RL friendships and only really have those groups to fulfill that need. It's been said many times that technology has provided a life line for some of them. "
I love this. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have a couple of online friends on Fab who know me more intimately than any friend outside of a Fab does. I hope I get to meet them in the flesh though. Those days will be truly special to me. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"We've probably all got friends we know purely from being online. Can they be as profound and positive as real life ones or do you think they're not 'real' until you've met in person? Are they as valuable to you? Do you online friends outnumber your real life ones or vice versa? "
Our Male half has a friend from Twitter, they’ve been friends about 3 years and discuss all sorts. They haven’t met yet but talk regular. They consider they are good friends and chat everyday. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have a group of online friends who have been a great support to me. We have a small private Fb group that we can talk all sorts about. We’ve supported each other through births, deaths, marriages, divorces and lots of other personal issues. Some I’ve met but lots I haven’t, and yet they’re all valued friends. X |
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By *emini ManMan
over a year ago
There and to the left a bit |
I'm with _ea monkey (as usual) on this - I don't see any difference between an on-line friendship and an in person one at all, or why the former would be considered less of a friendship somehow - there are numerous people both here and via other media who I've never met in person (yet) who I consider to be just as good friends as those I know in person, and in some instances I'd argue that those friends probably know me a lot better and are therefore stronger friends than those from "real life".
That's the joy of the internet, it *does* make the world a smaller place and allows you to forge connections with people you never would have in the days before it existed. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I'm with _ea monkey (as usual) on this - I don't see any difference between an on-line friendship and an in person one at all, or why the former would be considered less of a friendship somehow - there are numerous people both here and via other media who I've never met in person (yet) who I consider to be just as good friends as those I know in person, and in some instances I'd argue that those friends probably know me a lot better and are therefore stronger friends than those from "real life".
That's the joy of the internet, it *does* make the world a smaller place and allows you to forge connections with people you never would have in the days before it existed."
 |
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" I have a group of online friends, we all met playing Scrabble & word games almost 20yrs ago.
The host game site closed a while back, so a Bookface group was created.
We chat every single day, we've shared highs & lows of each others lives, cried over bereavements & divorces, watched weddings in Australia by live stream, they were the first people to see my youngest son after his birth.
We're an international group, from all 4 corners of the globe, but half of us meet up every couple of years for a holiday.
To me they are like extended family.
That's lovely "
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Fab is the only place where i chat to people as I'm not on Facebook but when I was on it I only chatted to, and was in groups with people I knew and had met previously..
On here the friends i have are people I've also met otherwise its just interacting in the forums |
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" I have a group of online friends, we all met playing Scrabble & word games almost 20yrs ago.
The host game site closed a while back, so a Bookface group was created.
We chat every single day, we've shared highs & lows of each others lives, cried over bereavements & divorces, watched weddings in Australia by live stream, they were the first people to see my youngest son after his birth.
We're an international group, from all 4 corners of the globe, but half of us meet up every couple of years for a holiday.
To me they are like extended family.
"
That is truly lovely! |
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" I have a group of online friends, we all met playing Scrabble & word games almost 20yrs ago.
The host game site closed a while back, so a Bookface group was created.
We chat every single day, we've shared highs & lows of each others lives, cried over bereavements & divorces, watched weddings in Australia by live stream, they were the first people to see my youngest son after his birth.
We're an international group, from all 4 corners of the globe, but half of us meet up every couple of years for a holiday.
To me they are like extended family.
"
I’ve a group of friends met like this. Managed to meet a few of them too, the Australian on came over to uk with her husband and we met up, another I met with when I went to Texas and another came to Manchester on business and we met. All real and lovely people it’s nice to be open to any kind of friendship |
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By *abs..Woman
over a year ago
.. |
This is the only place I talk online to people. I was surprised to make actual friends here, it wasn’t something I expected. I’m friendly with lots of people and happy to chat but there are a couple of people that are friends in the truest and fullest sense. I have more friends in the real world but I value all of my friends irrespective of where I befriended them and I do consider myself to be blessed with wonderful people in my life. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I think online friends are a positive thing and you can definitely be close but in a different way to real life friends.
I have a friend I've been speaking to for years. I like the level of detachment from my real life. He's probably the person who knows me best because we discuss things at a much more intimate level than I ever would in person. I can tell him anything without fear of repurcusions, he's not involved in my day to day life. "
This, exactly this. I have online friends. I don’t have to worry that they will tell their respective partners who may then feed that to other friends etc etc.
I also love getting to know people from other walks of life, helps to get you out of your own personal echo chamber |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I’ve found over the years it’s difficult to maintain an exclusive online friendship, they seem to drift away easier than a real life one.
I think I’m better suited to a friendship where we’ve met in person. Possibly because most my friendships stem from having a common ground that we participate together in. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I’d see online friends as acquaintances really ,till you met and made a connection or not . I’ve met my best friend on here and that started online ,it needs a meet to gauge how good a friend you’ll end up with |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Happily old fashioned here and without meeting at least once so that can read body language and actually communicate with gestures etc then it would never be a friendship for me tbh it's easy to not be yourself online ... I seriously don't have the time or the inclination to communicate purely through typing! Love to natter and laugh in real life ... though do have friends and family all over the world and we all keep in touch online but they actually know me lol |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I only chat to men on here and they only chat to me because they have an agenda!
I’m one of those people who is friendly with everyone but gets close to no-one. On the web and in person.
For some time, due to personal circumstances, i’m just too emotionally exhausted to cope with any more demands on me - so i keep folk at arms length. If i’m someone’s friend i’d want to be a good one, be there when they needed me. I couldn’t do that right now.
This is exactly me too!
I understand this totally. When I've had poor mental health I've felt terribly guilty at withdrawing from RL friends. I simply didn't have the emotional reserves to nurture friendships. "
I had some who helped me through a difficult time too. They also taught me a lot about myself by chatting openly about sexuality and what it means. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I do have purely online friends and they're just as 'real' as those that I have met.
It does amuse me slightly when some consider the only connection that seems to matter is when you've actually met in person, in this day and age regarding communication technology, that simply isn't the case.
You can have a very deep and rewarding relationship on any level with a person without meeting, it won't make it any less real as long as the other person feels the same as you. "
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Maybe it's an age thing but friends and relationships are in the real world....someone said earlier you can be who you want to be on the internet and there's so many stories on here about people not appearing what they seem to be I think I prefer to keep it that way. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Maybe it's an age thing but friends and relationships are in the real world....someone said earlier you can be who you want to be on the internet and there's so many stories on here about people not appearing what they seem to be I think I prefer to keep it that way."
The best thing about online friendships is that when they get needy or psycho, you can just block them |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Yeah I have a few online friends
They’re good to have as like some times I don’t have the energy to be with my actual face to face friends so I talk to my online friends
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