What's your view on Internet Romantic Relationships?

[Kura]

I think its freaky and sad, Sorry.

That's fine and that's your opinion, but you're also 12, so I don't think you have much experience to speak for what's really "freaky" or not. Maybe if you were to elaborate on why it is, I could understand your point a bit more.

 

[twocows]

The idea that it's impossible to love someone you haven't seen face-to-face is an archaic and absurd notion. At least for me, what matters most is what sort of person someone is. How good he or she is at showing it in public is secondary, as are looks (that's not to say these things don't matter at all, but they're not all-important). An online relationship can work if both people are committed to it.

 

[Melody]

I agree with twocows and Kura on this.

I've been in several online relationships myself, a few of which lasted an entire year or more. They only failed because trust seeped out and doubt began encroaching in it's place. I'm not going to say that an online relationship is ever gonna be easy. But I will say that if any of the previously mentioned relationships had been a little more trust-rich, that they could have very easily succeeded. I've actually terminated such relationships on the basis that I wasn't quite ready yet to meet the person in reality, because as much as it's wanted and is necessary for a relationship to grow and develop, I certainly had things I needed to take care of before promising I'd come to see them. Things like um...education, job and stability? But anyways, while I've had some ill luck with online relationships, this in no way should affect your opinion of them. Look at the success stories. Kura and her Boyfriend. Signomi and her boyfriend and such! They've all met right here on PC or online at least...and they're doing swimmingly well as you could hear from them. :3

Still, much like Kura does, I respect people who choose not to partake of online relationships...because it really DOES take work to maintain...and some people just can't or won't do that. I just dislike it when people go around bashing them and calling them unnatural or stupid. Pull your head out of the sand and realize that online media and social networking are the next communication frontier! Just like the telephone and the telegraph were, they will change the way human society interacts.

 

[abnegation]

Snip n~n

I'm aware of your situation, and in my opinion, it is the most healthy form of an online relationship. However, I think that those who do not have the intention to meet their online partner, are those who are giving it a bad name. In saying this, I still think that you can't say for sure how much you love someone until you meet them in person. There's a certain amount of spirituality and aura to people that you need to take into account, whether you believe in it or not; it's there.

Purely, it comes down to this; if you ask a person "Would you rather be in love online, or offline?" If they say the former, stating that they'd rather an online relationship, is where they're going wrong and their priorities are completely off. Unless they literally have no other option to live a life than to do so, which is a very odd situation in itself.

I think that everyone needs to feel some sort of physical presence before they can feel how much they love someone. It's easy to say it by text online, and think you mean it, but to know I would say that you would need to see the person before you.

Every relationship takes work to maintain, but it's going to be a lot more reassuring and rewarding in the end if you do get to meet the person. So simply, I support the relationship if the people have the intentions to see each other and make their e-lationship become physical; in the sense that they can be together.

 

[Blue Nocturne]

I've got nothing against Internet Romantic Relationships, I've been in a relationship that was mostly over the internet, but I just think that there will always be something missing if all of your interactions with someone are over the internet.

 

[MEGAS]

Internet relationships are fine as long as it doesn't cause any harm or dangerous acts. It can be a good way to start a first relationship or first experience on what love is like.

I understand for some people in real life can be a real pain to find an actual mate so internet will be a good start off. But lasting long till they finally meet each other in real life or something else like that is quite hard.

I admit I am currently into internet relationships and also has been 2 years now but it didn't last too well at all, and may not last any longer plus since it can be hurting that you may not get close enough to him/her, or didn't see or spend enough time with her/him(My current one now.), or got cheated since internet dating is relatively easy get a mate than real life or something else.

I, or some people will be tired on internet relationships soon till myself or they can find myself an actual mate.

 

[SquirtleGirl]

I've actually had an online relationship myself. Just the one about two years ago. We were talking online for about 7 months before we decided to meet up. We met up twice and we were quite compatible. But things just didn't work out, I was still only 15 [almost 17 now] and he was almost 17 and he seemed to want his freedom. It was a really hard couple of months for me but I started having relationships in real life and that eased the pain a bit. Now I'm in a close distance relationship with a boyfriend of 8 months and I couldn't be happier. Being in a close distance, I've been introduced to the benefits of getting to see him more often [even if our in-person time is limited because I go to a boarding school during the week, and he goes away to the States in the summer] But comparing my current relationship and my online relationship 2 years ago? I'd go with my close distance any day.

However, I'm still friends with the guy who I was in the online relationship with. I may have lost a lover but after about a year of absolutely no contact with him, I was able to be friends with him again. He's turned out to be one of my closest pals.

However I am not against online relationships. One of my best friends is in a long distance and there's effort on both sides to make it work. I guess what it comes down to is trust and willingness to make sacrifices in order to make it work .Then, slowly, you online infatuation could blossom into true love with regular in-person visits as well as helpful aids such as Skype, MSN...they helped me out so much even when my boyfriend was away for 6 weeks. That made me realise how long distance relationships just didn't suit me.

 

[Dubstep]

I know a few couples who met online, were distance for years, and are now happily married and living together. Many people find a fair amount of fish nearby, but some people are highly particular about what kind of fish they want and so have to look further, or spot something just right a little out of reach.

It's something that can definitely work, though it's a lot more difficult and requires real commitment, thought, and planning. People are going to need a real way to keep things meaningful and fulfilling without actually being able to be face to face or touch each other, possibly for years, and some people just can't keep it up.

 

[Vent]

HARD, REAL, REAL HARD.
Like you all say it's almost Impossible, due to the fact that contact is priority and it requieres a great deal of strength, maturity and commitment to do this E.G. Trust the other person isn't dating another and you having no way of knowing. I now a couple that did met online and are married now, however their ordeal is...ugh.
It's almost not worth it, but if you live that person, go for it, just prepare to go through an intense ordeal.

 

[Axєl]

It's a bit of a catch twenty-two in my opinion.

Some people prefer online relations, some people just spend a lot of time online and it just happens, some people spend all day looking for online relationships because they can't find one IRL. Whatever the reason, I say.. whatever helps people sleep at night, man. xD

They're risky, and like Erik said, it's hard for both people involved, so in that way I think they kinda suck. At the same time, some people can make them work. I had a couple of close friends who lasted three years online, and lasted through phones, text, and skype.

To me, it seems silly to block out the possibility of a real, physical relationship, because you're devoted to someone online. Yet some people chose to, and I've done it before myself. I spent enough time online, and so it just happened, but eh. In my opinion, online relations can be nice for awhile, but I think that you should still leave yourself open to meeting someone offline.*

* For instance, if I were online dating someone, and they met someone IRL that they fell for, I'd have to make myself okay with that. I'd encourage them to go for it, because being in a physical relationship is better for them then holding out for someone they may never meet.

 

[Morgnarok]

They are crap because after a while they end due to the facts that you can't see the person or hang out and have fun with them.Whats the point of having a boyfriend/girlfriend if all you can do is type to them on the internet or see them via webcam.

 

[Manaphy.10]

I think that they can work, but are risky. My friend was in a romantic relationship with someone in a game she played. The dated online for a long time, but when they met in real life, she found out that the guy she had been dating was a total jerk.

Again, it is possible, but very risky.

 

[Motsuko Live]

Do you mean internet dating or relationships over say a forum such as this one? I guess it really doesn't matter much as long as the people in the relationship are happy. I for one could never date someone I've never met, but I've had a few friends on here who've decided to get together and they seemed to do pretty well. As long as you understand that committing yourself to someone over the web means you're closing your eyes to anyone you've actually met/will meet and are fine with that fact, then by all means go for it. To each their own, right?

 

[Shiny]

I've had one before. And it was...nice let's say. But what I hated was not being able to hold them, y'know.

 

[KaiVii]

I just celebrated my 3rd year with my boyfriend the first of the year, and we met online (on a furry website even xD) There is even a fairly large age difference between us (only 6 years, but I was kinda young when we met) and currently I am living with him and his parents/brother while he finishes his degree (I'm doing online school). I only moved here last August, but he had been to my home to visit both the summer a year after we met and for my graduation last summer. We are currently very happy and are very much in love.

I think the key to an online relationship as mentioned is the willingness to spend time together (but not too much! We both still had lives/school/work!) , trust each other and communicate. That's sort of amusing that we worked out so well because he was just getting over a disaster of a relationship which had also been online, and I was getting over a bad offline relationship and we are both VERY paranoid people, possibly clinically so. I'll admit it was rocky at first but we were honest with each other and developed a close friendship before we took anything very far. Communication was the key, and still is, we both knew things might not work out but it was worth a shot.

Honestly I had no idea I could be this in love with someone...

I had still loved him, for a long time before we met, I would have done, and did do a lot of things that no one else could get me to go, just for his sake (good things! like doing better on school work so people wouldn't think he was bringing me down) but I will be honest those feelings deepen almost every day. That happens with people who have only known each other offline from what I hear though..

I will admit that our relationship was more secure after he visited because we were both a little scared that we just wouldn't 'mesh' well. But we did, and it was great.

Another key was, Imo, we got to know the other person's family. I woulds sit with my, (or my mom's. before I got mine) laptop in the living room with my parents and chat just with him or all four of us talking together about things, his father would often come into his room while we were talking and just join the conversation (his mom is shy so I never got to talk to her much before I moved). Luckily my parents like him and his like me or else we may never have gotten to see each other, or at least so soon.

I would like to think I would have waited for him though, I've never connected with or had so much in common with someone as him, even as friends.

Still hard though, Skype and phonecalls and sheer stubbornness was about all that got me through, and the fact that he's just plain WORTH it... he is worth the effort I am putting into this relationship and I guess it goes the other way as well, even though I don't feel worth it sometimes.

Could I have been hurt? Well duh...You can ALWAYS be hurt... but I've been hurt far worse by offline relationships that even the one online one I had before current times.

As for keeping things online? If the people are happy, why the hell not? I'm all for: If it makes you happy, and doesn't make some one else's life worse, go for it!

Just my two cents... it gets me little frustrated to see people dismiss things so easily