"omg! get a real bf/gf!" Internet dating is OKAY.

Have you dated online?

Yeah, it didn't work out though.	19.2%	[ 6650 ]
Nope.	36.3%	[ 12587 ]
Yes! And things worked out great.	11.0%	[ 3813 ]
I didn't choose to date online, I just fell in love.	14.3%	[ 4945 ]
Poll whores, click here!	19.2%	[ 6634 ]
Total Votes:			[ 34629 ]

[FurryTyrant]

I think online dating is kinda sad b/c I mean, what do you get out of it? You don't get to spend time together with the person.. You don't get to hold them or see them in person or anything.

In sense is it like half(a**-if you wish) dating, b/c you get to talk to them and all but you don't have to go on dates, you don't have to hold them or see them.. You don't have to spend real time with them or anything..

and a point of a relationship.. in my opinion is that you have to have the physical(not sex all the time) in order to have the full emotional part. How can you have a relationship with someone without being able to physically be there for the person or do spend real time with them.. but no offense but on the fone or online, doesn't accomplish anything.. I learned this lesson from having a long distance relationship.. (she used to live by me, moved away.. didn't work b/c I couldn't be there for her when she needed me)

[Outrun The Halfling]

Hidden_sarcasm89

I am personally totally against internet dating. One, you can never actually touch the person you are dating, you cannot hold them, kiss them, or feel their skin against yours when you're making love. Two, you do not actually know if they are being loyal to you, you cannot know if they are maybe married or have a boyfriend/girlfriend in their home town. Lastly, you do not get to see or meet the real them in a real life situation, you may think your boyfriend or girlfriend is an honest caring, good person, but for all you know they are mean and cruel in real life situations, you only get to see the good side when you talk to them on the internet.

And that's making the complete and total assumption that the two people in said onlion relationship don't make the effort to actually meet each other, face to face. D:

[Lefure]

Sandstone Warrior

Currently, I'm in an online relationship. But I've faced plenty of people who, once they discover that I'm IN a relationship like that, start cracking jokes about how I'm hanging out / talking with a fourty-year old perverted guy in his basement.

I don't disagree with you that it's uncalled for, immature behavior.

Sandstone Warrior

Not likely, especially since I've been talking to her for enough time that I'd know if there was some deception involved,

I think you overestimate how much intuition one has over the internet and underestimate how good an act people can preform.

Sandstone Warrior

I write my own stories, I could probably see through a fake story given over a month's time, or I'd really have to be blind.

Again, same as above. I've a friend who is an English major minoring in Journalism who was fooled by a person's internet cover story for years.

Sandstone Warrior

I'll never understand people who can't respect other's decisions like that.

Some people are immature and just do it for the sake of being immature. Some people who may be involved with you on a more personal level worry for your sake, but can't grasp that everyone needs to make their own decisions.

Sandstone Warrior

Besides, webcams were invented for a reason. But some thickheaded numskulls in real life will never understand that...

Webcams, like anything else on the internet, can be faked. Downloaded, edited, acted, whatever. There is no internet appropriate method of ID.

Sandstone Warrior

*Sighs softly*
Some relationships will work out, some won't. There's cases where the person online is a complete jerk, who is posing as someone they are not, other cases where they only act like their 'true self' online, and in real relations, they put on a mask, acting like someone else... it's just like real life, to be honest.

I disagree. Not with the fact that people will try to put up facades both OL and IRL, but I disagree with comparing them as the same. In any circumstance you can get more information from a person's bodylanguage and real life actions than actions depicted by anonymous text.

Sandstone Warrior

Just minus the touching. Some people need that, and some of us aren't exactly the 'touchy feelie' types. It's a culture thing, or a matter of upbringing.

I agree.

Sandstone Warrior

As for the fourty-year old thing, here's a little shot in the eye for those that keep on saying that: date rape. Statistically, I think there's more date-rapes than internet ones, because people online are very paranoid about their personal information, or at least should be.

Being this the ED forum, I'm inclined to ask you to post your sources. As far as people being scared of their identity, I'm not personally. My real name is posted in several places. Searching it would bring up my Massage Therapy business and ways to contact me. The reason I'm not scared is because I live a safe life IRL. I don't meet new people in unpublic places. I don't walk down the streets at night. My house and office are secure. I'm not a gullible person.

Sandstone Warrior

Each carries their own risk (perverted jerk, or date rape IRL). Each has ways to minimize said risk. It's more a personal preference, because some of us (like myself) are very shy in real life. Not bad looking, but shy...

I don't think shyness is ever a good reason to add emotional or physical risk to your life. But, as you said, I'm not you.

[Herbal Remedy]

Outrun The Halfling

Hidden_sarcasm89

I am personally totally against internet dating. One, you can never actually touch the person you are dating, you cannot hold them, kiss them, or feel their skin against yours when you're making love. Two, you do not actually know if they are being loyal to you, you cannot know if they are maybe married or have a boyfriend/girlfriend in their home town. Lastly, you do not get to see or meet the real them in a real life situation, you may think your boyfriend or girlfriend is an honest caring, good person, but for all you know they are mean and cruel in real life situations, you only get to see the good side when you talk to them on the internet.

And that's making the complete and total assumption that the two people in said onlion relationship don't make the effort to actually meet each other, face to face. D:

Yes, yes it is. I know a few people that have actually married after meeting in real life after dating for a while on the internet. My standards have lowered a bit for that though because both my mother and my brother go through internet relationships like tissue.

I personally have no problem with internet relationships, it is that persons desicion, but I will never get involved in one with a person that lives no where near myself.

[Ryoko Yumi]

Internet dating is dangerous for the youth of america but my dad met his soon-to-be wife in a yahoo chat and now she libes with us... she's from ohio...we're in mass. Anyway, I dated someone on line once and it lasted for a few months but in the end it just wasn't personal enuf for both of us.
<3 ryoko

[Kadavers_lil_princess]

i think that online dating is not very safe........i think that there are many wierdos around and that many people need to be careful when they are online dating because many people get kidnaped, murdered, or raped. and its juts not a safe world anymore for people. and a lot of people just dont understand and think they are being caeful when really there are not.....really there are just getting themselfs into more trouble. i think that sometimes some people get lucky but because most people protray themselfs as something that they are not and that makes it so that the person is really falling in love with someone else and then they finally meet the person and it all ends up being just a mistake and a waste of time and lots of other things too

[Protoplasmic Dissolution]

I don't think it's dumb, I've had several and so have my friends.

I don't have an "offline" bf or gf because I'm just not interested in anyone. and because it can be dangerous (there are some... crazy... people out there)

Lately I've been planning to stay, as I say, "single, free, and independant". So haveing a bf/gf doesn't really appeal to me (an no i'm not a narcissist)

[Rainbows_n_Sunshine]

I'm neutral. I myself don't want to date people online. I've tried it ONCE, and seen other relationships, and its just too easy to lie, even when there's alot of trust within the relationship.

I've set my best friend up in an online relationship. For awhile I regretted it, cuz she was so into going to see him over the summer (which she had little chance of doing, and she didn't..) and while, there were like 3 guys back here who loved her dearly, who wouldn't mind dating her. But she was all oblivious to it. So I just though 'screw it' after awhile.

I just say, do what makes you happy.

[Toadsworth]

My friend dated a kid online.

He supposedly 'died' because him AIM shut down. She wass in rehab for attempted suicide, because his computer broke.

My only thing wrong with online-dating is that once there's a power outage, you have no boyfriend. You have no girlfriend. They're...gone. You could call them, but you can't tell them to come over and comfort you. They're most likely in another state.

As for webcams--I don't have one. I don't want one. Many are like me--fearful that you might leave it on, shower, and appear nakie infront of your friends. I know that this is where responsibility comes in. But, still...

And, of course, inviting a random person into my life..I'm iffy with that even in real life. Sure, they could look fourteen or fifteen, be extremely hot, have a webcam, talk to you as she smiles on her camera...but you can't tell a personality from that. She could still be a psycho.

[CAPTAIN Plixy[Stix]]

Okay.

Those were some good replies. =D;

I don't mean internet dating is 100% safe.

Cause it's not. And it's also not for everyone. I mentioned that didn't I?

Well, if your relationship is only going to be on the internet for your whole life, that's sad. And I wouldn't really consider it a healthy/good relationship anyway.

However, if you decide to meet him/her later on offline, then it turns into a long distance relationship.

And about the physical contact, if you don't plan on seeing him/her offline, then don't date online.

[Rankedking152]

This is what I have posted in a thread that stated "I need a net gf!"

Quote:

Please note;

I am saying this here for all the burn-out, sex craved, horomone raged internet nerds that can't get it anywhere else, and are lonely enough to try and get a girlfriend or boyfriend on the internet that they would probably never meet.

That is pathetic.

Why are you just blatantly stating you need a girlfriend?

Isn't it more courteous to actually find someone that they find they are attracted to in an emotional matter, and not someone that is a 'net girlfriend,' as you so plainly put it?

Another thing I have said in a PM;

Quote:

Cybering and 'net partners' are a waste of valuable time that one can use to actually find a partner in life they can communicate to on a regular basis without having to log on to msn, aim, yim, or Gaia, to chat with, and even then, are you even sure that is even them you are talking to and not some 60 year old man beating off at your picture?

[CAPTAIN Plixy[Stix]]

Trinity Kitty

This is what I have posted in a thread that stated "I need a net gf!"

Quote:

Please note;

I am saying this here for all the burn-out, sex craved, horomone raged internet nerds that can't get it anywhere else, and are lonely enough to try and get a girlfriend or boyfriend on the internet that they would probably never meet.

That is pathetic.

Why are you just blatantly stating you need a girlfriend?

Isn't it more courteous to actually find someone that they find they are attracted to in an emotional matter, and not someone that is a 'net girlfriend,' as you so plainly put it?

Another thing I have said in a PM;

Quote:

Cybering and 'net partners' are a waste of valuable time that one can use to actually find a partner in life they can communicate to on a regular basis without having to log on to msn, aim, yim, or Gaia, to chat with, and even then, are you even sure that is even them you are talking to and not some 60 year old man beating off at your picture?

Did you not read the first post?

[Rankedking152]

[I am teh Haruka]

Did you not read the first post?

Yes, I did, and those were my comments. I gave you examples as to why it doesn't work pertaining to your paragraphs.

[CAPTAIN Plixy[Stix]]

Trinity Kitty

[I am teh Haruka]

Did you not read the first post?

Yes, I did, and those were my comments. I gave you examples as to why it doesn't work pertaining to your paragraphs.

So you're saying that people who date online aren't EVER gonna meet offline?

That's really ignorant.

What's wrong with communicating over MSN, yahoo, or AIM? I see nothing wrong with it. If a couple is dedicated enough to meet eachother offline in the future, why should you say that it's a waste of time?

There's something called a webcam.

[Pepper2006]

With all those killers out there, I won't even date a real person. It happens every hour I bet, but hey I am a lone man, and I want to live untill I am 90. There ARE crazy people out here, there, everywhere. If you DO met a person in real life, make sure its in a people infested area, that way if he/she does kill/harm you, you have witness, it happens EVERY day. Don't get confident, it could cost you your life.