Online Relationships And The Digital Age

Skies

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Running this gaming community I host puts me in touch with a lot of different people; a trend recently has been "dating within the community". Now, I'm all for finding love online, I found my husband online, but he lived fairly close to me and it was feasible to spend time actually "together". I find unreasonable online relationships to be pointless, not just pointless, but kind of silly in my opinion. Online relationships aren't "real" relationships and never leave the "honeymoon phase", I feel that this too isn't healthy, a real relationship needs to be able to endure passed this so called "honeymoon phase" to mature into something long lasting and strong. For an online relationship, once the honeymoon phase is over, so is the relationship, because that was all that was binding it together, the lust, the desire, the googly eyes... but a real relationship is so much more. I feel bad for these women and girls within my community, given to unrealistic fantasies of what love is or can be, don't they know that they deserve better, that they could HAVE better... the answer is obviously no. It is indeed this technological world that has connected us in such a way that love has become impersonal, we are more comfortable connecting digitally than humanly, neighbors don't say hello anymore, breakups happen through text messaging, and entire relationships are conducted via the web.
 
It makes me sad to live in a world where people can't look you in the eye anymore, rather than having an adult discussion, they communicate through impersonal text where they can be as hateful as they want to be without taking responsibility for their words or actions in person, because that is what they are comfortable with now. For example, my step daughter refuses to speak to her father in person, let alone on the phone, she would rather lash out in text to avoid an adult conversation and the emotions and reality that may come with it. She is like most youth of today, hiding behind a keyboard, completely inept and uncomfortable with healthy human interaction. So why do we choose to stunt ourselves in such a way, because it's easy? I feel this is a false sense of ease, putting us in a far more difficult and volatile emotional circumstances, stunting our development as human beings, as social beings, narrowing our horizons, and our dreams.
 
I don't see children playing outside anymore, playing in the mud, climbing trees... this digital age. What have we become? What morals can we teach our children when they are so focused on a world that doesn't even really exist, relationships that don't really exist, feelings founded, not in reality, but fantasy? I wish I could feel the world the way I did when I was a child, before the internet, before cell phones, the air just seemed to smell sweeter, the world looked brighter, and so did the future, but this was not the future that I expected, although I saw it coming. I want nothing more than for my children to experience this life first hand, in all of its pain and ugliness, and in all of its happiness and beauty. This life is an adventure and it is meant to be explored, but here we sit in front of our monitors, while those more daring don't simply exist, but live, tangibly and with a passion.
 
 
I will try to answer you questions as an impartial tree from the other end of the globe to you.
P.S- I'm not going to read the entire of this text because, tbh, tis not really relevant to my interests.

Skies said:
Running this gaming community I host puts me in touch with a lot of different people; a trend recently has been "dating within the community". Now, I'm all for finding love online, I found my husband online, but he lived fairly close to me and it was feasible to spend time actually "together". I find unreasonable online relationships to be pointless, not just pointless, but kind of silly in my opinion. Online relationships aren't "real" relationships and never leave the "honeymoon phase", I feel that this too isn't healthy, a real relationship needs to be able to endure passed this so called "honeymoon phase" to mature into something long lasting and strong. For an online relationship, once the honeymoon phase is over, so is the relationship, because that was all that was binding it together, the lust, the desire, the googly eyes... but a real relationship is so much more. I feel bad for these women and girls within my community, given to unrealistic fantasies of what love is or can be, don't they know that they deserve better, that they could HAVE better... the answer is obviously no. It is indeed this technological world that has connected us in such a way that love has become impersonal, we are more comfortable connecting digitally than humanly, neighbors don't say hello anymore, breakups happen through text messaging, and entire relationships are conducted via the web.
 
It makes me sad to live in a world where people can't look you in the eye anymore, rather than having an adult discussion, they communicate through impersonal text where they can be as hateful as they want to be without taking responsibility for their words or actions in person, because that is what they are comfortable with now. For example, my step daughter refuses to speak to her father in person, let alone on the phone, she would rather lash out in text to avoid an adult conversation and the emotions and reality that may come with it. She is like most youth of today, hiding behind a keyboard, completely inept and uncomfortable with healthy human interaction. So why do we choose to stunt ourselves in such a way, because it's easy? (yes) I feel this is a false sense of ease, putting us in a far more difficult and volatile emotional circumstances, stunting our development as human beings, as social beings, narrowing our horizons, and our dreams.
 
I don't see children playing outside anymore, playing in the mud, climbing trees... this digital age. What have we become? ( lazy people :p ) What morals can we teach our children when they are so focused on a world that doesn't even really exist, relationships that don't really exist, feelings founded, not in reality, but fantasy? ( dunno, I've never had kids ) I wish I could feel the world the way I did when I was a child, before the internet, before cell phones, the air just seemed to smell sweeter, the world looked brighter, and so did the future, but this was not the future that I expected, although I saw it coming. I want nothing more than for my children to experience this life first hand, in all of its pain and ugliness, and in all of its happiness and beauty. This life is an adventure and it is meant to be explored, but here we sit in front of our monitors, while those more daring don't simply exist, but live, tangibly and with a passion.
I agree with you! As longs as TFF can exist without technology and all that stuff. :D
 
I am about to move to my laptop to write a proper response to this subject.
 
dgwebster said:
I am about to move to my laptop to write a proper response to this subject.
16 mins to move a laptop! Sheesh!
 
Sorry, it has been a while since I turned it on, lots of updating!
 
So this touches on a lot of observations and learning that I have made over the years. I shall start with my thoughts on communications via the digital age. Over the last 10 years I have conducted analysis on different methods on communication in business and find that the further you remove the human element of contact, the worse we feel we can treat each other.
 
Face to face,, video phone, telephone, then text (whether written, email, SMS, online chat.) This is the descending order in which we treat each other with kindness and respect. It is much to do with the fact that it is easy to forgot that it is another human being reading this, not some faceless corporate giant, not some stone hearted ex. It is somewhat to do with safety, we feel like we can do these things and the detachment of the human form from your end will make it somehow easier. It is a lot to do with being a coward. This is not a younger generation thing either. My wife went through an emotional rollercoaster last year as we approached our wedding day because she had invited her father. Her mother would call and text to say nasty, horrific things, leaving my wife in tears. On one occasion I went and confronted her face to face, but she coward, hiding behind locked doors where she didn't have to look at the person she was hurting, her own daughter, her own grandchildren (yup, she even dragged them into it all.)
 
My children have easier access than ever to technology. This is something difficult for baby boomer & generation x people to grasp. It was our progression with technology that lead to generation Y being entirely submerged in it from the day they are born: digital cameras, internet posts, all from our phone before we leave the hospital. At home, the cooker has digital timers, the washing machine digital programmes and smart fridges. We have more technology surrounding us that unlike to us it being an assistant to what we are doing, it is an extension of our children. its not something they pick up and use, its a part of them that achieves the end goal and faster than ever before.
 
I encourage reality with my children. The are 6 & 4 years old and they understand what death is, that one day their mother and I will die, which is why it is important that they learn what we teach because one day we wont be there to help them. They know the proper names of their genitals and other bodily parts, know to discuss with us any concerns that they have. They understand that men dont just love women and vice versa, but that sometimes men love men, women love women and both love both and that this is ok. We encourage playing outdoors, to the point where outdoor toys are not birthday or Christmas treats. If a child talks to me, waves to me, I am encouraged to talk or wave back and let them know that not everyone is a danger, but keep safe.
 
The online digital age is creating an ease of communication and let you search out far more people than previously possible, but to call it a relationship, even a friendship is not right: it is an acquaintance. However, it may be all that some people will get and if this makes that person happy(ish), whilst they listen to Evanesence on repeat in the comfort of their own home and not disturbing me with it, then bash on.
 
dgwebster said:
Sorry, it has been a while since I turned it on, lots of updating!
 
So this touches on a lot of observations and learning that I have made over the years. I shall start with my thoughts on communications via the digital age. Over the last 10 years I have conducted analysis on different methods on communication in business and find that the further you remove the human element of contact, the worse we feel we can treat each other.
 
Face to face,, video phone, telephone, then text (whether written, email, SMS, online chat.) This is the descending order in which we treat each other with kindness and respect. It is much to do with the fact that it is easy to forgot that it is another human being reading this, not some faceless corporate giant, not some stone hearted ex. It is somewhat to do with safety, we feel like we can do these things and the detachment of the human form from your end will make it somehow easier. It is a lot to do with being a coward. This is not a younger generation thing either. My wife went through an emotional rollercoaster last year as we approached our wedding day because she had invited her father. Her mother would call and text to say nasty, horrific things, leaving my wife in tears. On one occasion I went and confronted her face to face, but she coward, hiding behind locked doors where she didn't have to look at the person she was hurting, her own daughter, her own grandchildren (yup, she even dragged them into it all.)
 
My children have easier access than ever to technology. This is something difficult for baby boomer & generation x people to grasp. It was our progression with technology that lead to generation Y being entirely submerged in it from the day they are born: digital cameras, internet posts, all from our phone before we leave the hospital. At home, the cooker has digital timers, the washing machine digital programmes and smart fridges. We have more technology surrounding us that unlike to us it being an assistant to what we are doing, it is an extension of our children. its not something they pick up and use, its a part of them that achieves the end goal and faster than ever before.
 
I encourage reality with my children. The are 6 & 4 years old and they understand what death is, that one day their mother and I will die, which is why it is important that they learn what we teach because one day we wont be there to help them. They know the proper names of their genitals and other bodily parts, know to discuss with us any concerns that they have. They understand that men dont just love women and vice versa, but that sometimes men love men, women love women and both love both and that this is ok. We encourage playing outdoors, to the point where outdoor toys are not birthday or Christmas treats. If a child talks to me, waves to me, I am encouraged to talk or wave back and let them know that not everyone is a danger, but keep safe.
 
The online digital age is creating an ease of communication and let you search out far more people than previously possible, but to call it a relationship, even a friendship is not right: it is an acquaintance. However, it may be all that some people will get and if this makes that person happy(ish), whilst they listen to Evanesence on repeat in the comfort of their own home and not disturbing me with it, then bash on.
 
Very well said! 
applaud.gif.gif

 
9001+ points of respect, you should blog, do you blog? You would be very good at it. Love it! Your children sound like they have great parents as well, and that is wonderful!
 
Skies said:
 
 
9001+ points of respect, you should blog, do you blog? You would be very good at it. Love it! Your children sound like they have great parents as well, and that is wonderful!
 
 
Many thanks. I don't blog but I do ponder aloud occasionally :D
 
It is good to see someone else noticing though that the way humans interact is changing and more than what we tend to see, read or hear about. Influencing people is also changing as we see acceptance of things such as tattoos in high-power jobs, gay marriage and alternative religions. Sadly it will be not even in our childrens life time that what is needed will become what is acceptable. Just a little longer though.
 
dgwebster said:
 
 
 
9001+ points of respect, you should blog, do you blog? You would be very good at it. Love it! Your children sound like they have great parents as well, and that is wonderful!
 
 
Many thanks. I don't blog but I do ponder aloud occasionally
biggrin.png

 
It is good to see someone else noticing though that the way humans interact is changing and more than what we tend to see, read or hear about. Influencing people is also changing as we see acceptance of things such as tattoos in high-power jobs, gay marriage and alternative religions. Sadly it will be not even in our childrens life time that what is needed will become what is acceptable. Just a little longer though.
 
 
I ponder aloud as well. :)
 
It IS good to see someone else noticing, for sure, this has been something that has occasionally bothered me throughout the years, more so as time and technology progresses. I often think and ponder to myself as well, about the world and people in general really... why is it so hard to love, why is it so hard to accept other people, why must their ideologies be correct when everyone has there own? Reality is perception, and we all perceive it differently, if only we could all come to an understanding. This is getting a little off topic of my original post, but I will touch on it. Why must we hate what we are not? I am not gay (technically), however, I see nothing wrong with love, period, be it homosexual or otherwise. Why should love be hated? That doesn't even make any sense to me. Shouldn't every human being be free to express themselves and to love those who they love, regardless of gender? What skin is it off anyone elses noes? I hope I live to see the day where what is needed becomes acceptable. I really do.
 
Generally people turn to online relationships for awhile. I do believe that they do leave the honeymoon phase though because people develop trust issues or eventually just run out of things to say. I think that parents who don't send their children out to play are at fault themselves, but do worry about this generation not being able to socialize accurately.  
 

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