Can Virtual Relationships Really Work?
There are so many different places to meet potential partners. You have the club, the grocery store, the classroom? And now, you also have the Internet. Thanks to online dating and gaming, the virtual world is brimming with opportunities to meet that special someone. But can these relationships that are wholly or primarily virtual really work?
What got me thinking about this topic is the riveting documentary Life 2.0. If you haven?t seen it, make a point of doing so. The doc follows the lives of people who are arguably obsessed with the online game/community Second Life (which is free to join, if you want to check it out). Two of the people met in this virtual world, fell in love, and decided to get together in the physical world.??
Though I?ve never been in a virtual relationship myself (and when I say virtual relationship, I mean a relationship that began online and may or may not include physical meetings), I can see some difficulties they may bring. Perhaps the most obvious concern is identity. In a virtual relationship, you really have no way of knowing that the other person is who they say they are. They could lie about their appearance, age, race, gender, and more.?
Virtual relationships, because of their very nature, would also suffer some of the same difficulties that long-distance relationships do. Physical contact would be sparse (if existent), and this could put some strain on the relationship. Each partner would also need to trust that the other is faithful.
There might be some benefits to virtual relationships, though. I?ve heard, for example, that you get to build a relationship that relies on conversation and personality, not appearance and sexuality. This might result in getting to know and understand the person better and quicker than if you were to meet them in person. (I have my doubts about this, but it?s what I?ve heard.) Some people might also have more confidence behind a computer screen, which could make the search for that special someone a little bit easier.?
I?m really not sure what to make of virtual relationships. If that?s what works for some people, that?s great, power to them! Personally, I don?t think I could trust that a person is exactly who they say they are. I?d also probably have trouble grappling with having little to no physical contact. But maybe that?s just me.?
Do you think virtual relationships can really work? Have you ever been in one, or know someone who has? How did it go? Have you ever tried online dating or used another online service (like Second Life) to meet people? What do you think the pros and cons are?of virtual relationships???
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Source: http://www.datingish.com/774251942/can-virtual-relationships-really-work/
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