Online Dating

[beardedboy]

My thoughts on this is that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I guess the tough part is that you don't have any physical contact with your partner which could cause mental problems in many people. I think depending on the couple, and how well they actually know eachother, it would be ok to date online, but both parties would need to be absolutely on board with everything had have the complete understanding that it will be hard. I mean, in my thoughts, if there is someone out there for everyone, who is to say that that one person isn't halfway across the country.

I know the concerns that many people have. Talking with anyone online is dangerous and you need to be careful. No matter how long you talk with someone, you won't necessarily really know that person for who he/she is. Meeting an online friend is also extremely dangerous, and should be handled with care.

So what I want to know is, first, what is your definition of 'dating'? Would/have you ever date/d someone online? Had you met that person before in person? What is your thoughts on online dating? And anything else you would like to inform me and the readers about online dating.

Thank you and please respond. I would like to hear your input. :)

[Sage]

My thoughts on this is that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

That sentiment is so ambiguous and vague that it doesn't even mean anything. Sometimes nuclear warheads kill millions upon millions of people, sometimes they don't.

Considering this is a teen website, the vast fucking majority of online relationships are guaranteed to fail for a myriad of reasons. If someone hasn't had a relationship in person before, an online relationship might falsely boost their confidence and convince them that they know what they're doing when they do not. Being teenagers, most of us can't travel long distances on our own to see other people, and even if we can, it's very expensive and time-consuming, and can alienate the person from other activities and relationships (ie, friends, family, and others).

Online relationships are largely for people who like to believe they're too unique to settle for anyone locally and aren't willing to put up with simply being single. It's a great shame that a lot of people are wasting the most youthful days of their lives infront of computer screens as a replacement for real social contact.

Don't get me started on how you (not you OP) think your case is so fucking special and that your online lover and you are actually going to overcome the hurdles and not end up like the majority of online relationships. Everybody in a relationship likes to think they're a special case and that's a bias I recognize too well to waste time arguing with personally.

tl;dr Online relationships fucking suck.

[flashstep96]

well, It depends on the way you communicate. For example: Metting a Freind of a freind through Facebook and then becoming good freinds is okay. I personally would wait until i could meet the other for real and then Dating would be an option. the chioce is yours: but like you said; the lack of phsical interaction can really be bad. Sorry if this isnt helping; I'm just throwing around ideas

[beardedboy]

That is fine. I don't necessarily want to know for myself, but I am just curious as to what people think, and it might help those people out there who do want to try it. I thank you guys for your opinions. :)

[Fiction]

I was always totally against online relationships. I didn't really see how they would work, and I always thought that you couldn't really love someone you'd never met.

Now I don't think that's true. Me and my boyfriend have been together for over 3 months now, and I know that I wouldn't be here without him. He's the only reason i'm still alive. Take that as an exagerating if you want but at the end of the day I know it's true. We've never met, but we talk everyday, over the phone and on the internet. I'm closer to him than I have been anyone else before. That means face to face people too.

I've met friends from the internet in real life before, and found speaking to them no different to speaking to them on the internet. You can still get close to someone because there's still that emotional tie.

Physical actions don't create a relationship. It's all about emotional attatchments, and they can be produced just by talking to someone, whether that's online or face to face.

I think they can definatly work out, they are difficult and they take more work than other relationships, but at the end of the day if that's the person you want, why would it matter how far away you are?

[beardedboy]

Thank you for your story, that was beautiful. :)

[Life_On_The_Line]

Online dating can work if you're both committed.
I've been with my girlfriend for 15 months and we started dating through twitter. It does work but you just have to be careful, personally she's the best thing that's ever happened to me and she's really changed my life, We're engaged and we meet every month.
I supposed if you are serious about it, and you're careful who you're talking with it's a good thing.
They are hard with the lack of physical interaction but if you do find someone, Meeting them helps, Gives you an even stronger connection.

[beardedboy]

Thanks for sharing. :) Congratulations btw. I mean, what is implied in teenagers atleast when you say "Date"? Depending on the age perhaps sex, perhaps dates, but I think "dating" is in fact a promise to be there for eachother and to get to know eachother. What do you think?

[Psychintraining]

I don't mean to rain on all of your parades but online dating is wrong. The idea that emotional relationships can be formed to a significant level with out contact is simply false. 90% of communication is conveyed through other forms than the words actually being said, that's a fact, please look it up. Online relationships are a dangerous safety net for the socially anxious and rejected of our society, that perpetuates the growing sheltering that occurs all around us.

The effect of online dating, and the internet in forms of communication on a meaningful, and emotional pathway is extremely detrimental to one's psyche and I for one and appalled that someone on this post is engaged to someone they only see once a month, and only have known for fifteen months. Granted I don't know your situation so it's not totally my right to comment, but get some common sense; virtual dating isn't dating. There's no sincerity.

Life doesn't take place on the internet, why would you date on the internet.