Online Relationships

[MrEco]

A simple question really. What do you guys think of online romantic relationships? Are they legitimate? Just as good as physical ones? Etc, etc...

I'm just curious really. None of your answers are going to effect my current relationship status which is, as you may have guessed, an online one with a girl from across the country. So, yes, I think it's legitimate (To answer my own question). Though I have to admit a physical relationship would be preferable, but then again I see no reason that an online romance couldn't develop into a real world one.

[dsheinem]

Sometimes you don't want the physical stuff to get in the way of the relationship.

Sometimes you don't want the relationship to get in the way of the physical stuff.

Sometimes you find that both complement each other wonderfully, then all is good.

Not sure if this helps, but it is hard to make a blanket judgement call over what is the "best" kind of relationship. It really depends what you are looking for with that person.

[jfrost]

I've had three actual girlfriends in my life. Two of them I met on the internet. I've loved all of them a lot. One of the girls I met on the internet lived really far and sometimes that was a pain. But it evened out when we met, it was amazing.

[Xeogred]

Some people convinced me this overtime (I was pretty against it and wanted to meet people face to face, but then realized "what do I have to lose"?), but I'd say online can definitely be used as a tool to meet people. In fact someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't racketboy meet "racketgirl" through eHarmony? heh.

Other than that though I don't think I'd ever want a serious long distance relationship.

[the King]

If it makes you happy, who cares what anyone else thinks.

Just go with it. I don't have any experience with it myself and I have my questions with the whole online dating thing, but what do I know?

Everyone has different life experiences to shape how we live our life's. Technology has really changed everything to with our experiences.

Personally I couldn't imagine meeting someone online, but then again I'm pretty sure I strechted the truth to my wife the first time I met her to get a date with her. So, online or offline, you never know who the real person is upfront.

[dedalusdedalus]

Personally I couldn't imagine meeting someone online, but then again I'm pretty sure I strechted the truth to my wife the first time I met her to get a date with her. So, online or offline, you never know who the real person is upfront.

Hahah, like women who post younger pics of themselves online, and then say "that's how young I feel on the inside" when you call them out on it in real life.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Long-distance relationships in any form usually don't work. They're always painful, even if both are deeply in love with each other as people. Not that you won't experience pain in every relationship - but not being able to interact directly with your loved one is a big deal. Dating sites can be good for meeting people, but a long-term, online-only relationship is a pretty bad idea (And this is assuming that both parties are honest ) The important thing is that you can meet sometimes and make it into a "real world" relationship if you decide you want to continue the relationship long-term. In my opinion, a love relationship can start online but shouldn't stay there.

Now I know this isn't your case, but if, for example, you just wanted to meet people, it might be a pretty good idea. A computer-generated match is interesting because it forces you to consider people you wouldn't ordinarily, and you can know basic things about the other without having to strike up a conversation, but it also destroys that human element of a chance meeting, face to face. I guess the main advantage here is that people on dating sites are always looking.

[Flake]

Your mileage will vary.

No two people have the same emotional or physical needs. If someone ever tries to say that relationship type X won't work, they are not speaking beyond their own scope of experience.

[brunoafh]

I could never have a relationship that had no physical elements. I don't understand what the point would be.

As others have said everyone's needs are different, but personally I don't see the point in an online-only relationship. I mean let's face it, if you're in a "committed" online relationship, the second a real life one is presented to someone, the odds are they are going to go with that.

[fvgazi]

Online relationships.... you mean like FPS Clans?...jk.
If it leads to something real I guess it's okay. It also depends on what each person wants out of the relationship. If both parties have all their needs met online, then whatever! It's not black and white, but for myself I need the actual person to go do non-virtual things with.