When we were born, we curled up our toes, made cute little fists, and cried our hearts out. We were vulnerable. We felt insecure. We were no longer in the warmth of our mother's womb. We were born into a whole new world. When our mother held us, we sensed comfort again. It was familiar. Her familiar touch.
Today as adults, we are no different. When we come home from work, school, or wherever, we curl into our blankets and turn our laptops on. We feel insecure in the loneliness of our small apartments. It is not a whole new world and yet a sense of something amiss. And then, with the touch of a button, we walk into our safe world. We talk to friends online, some who we have never met, some who live across the street and yet greet us only on the messenger, and some who truly live far away. We build new connections, we try and revive old connections, and we take some connections for granted.
The internet has introduced to us a whole new virtual world. In this world, we write, we cry, we smile, we buzz, we fake expressions, we swear, and we make funny sounds. Ironical that we feel safe in the company of those we have never met, that we form illusions about these people, and we think about these virtual people even when walking in the real world.
There are more and more people walking into this whole new world each day leaving behind the real world that is out there..at least for a few hours. What is missing in the real world that we find the virtual world more interesting? Is the unknown more attractive or does facing people threaten us?
If we can get so addicted to this new world, are we capable of being addicted to the real world and living life to the fullest? What is your opinion, my unattached online friends?
Just My Thing
15 years ago
10 Words of Wisdom:
well this seems to be very interesting topic. Truly I have found few of my best frnds through internet or rather put it this way I developed better relations through internet.But I never live in a complete virtual world. I make sure I use this platform a one to develop any relation . I share more things with frnds in chat rather than talking in personal because that suits me I feel more comfortable talking abt issues which I wouldnt or rather which would take years for me to open up.I like being everywhere and being amongst everyone and This chat and messenger stuffs or rather adds an edge to it.
I dont know whether I fall in those UNATTACHED ONLINE FRNDS. Yes I love being a part of this virtual world but this is nowhere closer to wot real life is. But if this helps living my real life in a much better way Y not use it .
read my post on similar lines that i wrote a few days back...
http://maybeiamaddicted.blogspot.com/2007/12/virtual-reality.html
it is indeed tragic that the online world offers us a safe haven where we feel secure ... it think the secret lies in the anonymity of an online presence.
how i wish i could reclaim the life i once lead, where socializing was at coffee shop and conversations (bitchin sessions) were in person and not over orkut scraps and YM chat sessions.
Well what you mentioned is one aspect of this coin....true that people are getting more and more introverted so to speak and leaving the real world....
there is another very interesting thing I was thinking recently - I have been here 9 yrs now and seen the change in all the communications here in the US - and I use to feel isolated from home - but today that same press of the button I can be at two places - thought not physically - at the same time
so it has its pros and cons...
well on being unattached i can go on as that is a complete different philosophical venture - will leave it alone :) thanks for sharing your insights
Maybe it is the fact that you only see a small part of reality in the online world ? Maybe you only discover those that align with your views ? Maybe you only see the things that people have chosen to reveal about themselves ?
You can definitely get the same addiction from the real world outside, provided you have the right set of friends and circumstances. All you need is to seek them out.
My idea is that, I cant really differentiate the real and virtual, you have mentioned. For me its all part of one life. Yes, some people you meet thru say a blog-read, yes u connect with them on that level, but the real closeness is only achieved if you meet that person or hear that person over the phn atleast. As u said, chatting has a certain amount of fake expression. Anyway, I think these two virtual worlds u've mentioned can actually co-exist as a single entity, and as a matter of fact, thats what everyone does, gels this online, internet thing with his real world!
hmm.. i think u can nvr relly kno someone thru internet.. i mean.. i think all are diff in real world..for better or worse... real world thing.. is "real"!!
@ sowri, I guess as long as we remember that there is a real world out there, we are cool!
@ anjuli, read it and commented as well :)
@ nik, what's stopping you?
@ ceedy, being in touch with people at home on the internet is different. But what do you say about talking to people online who live in the same city as yours, or are just a domestic call away?
@ cosmic joy, you are so right! if we dont align with someone online, we either block them or vice versa, thus being able to mingle only with those we like and mingle with. That is not possible in the real world even if we wish it.
@ ujwal, I think that one should be able to differentiate between the real and the online world, lest one gets carried away by the virtual one.
@ sreerama, yes..for better or for the worse..it is real!
I think you already said the magic word - CONNECTION.
Purely my opinion - sometimes it's not possible to connect with people in the 'real' world (for many many reasons). I find that the more you get to know someone, many a times you actually start liking them lesser.
i m sorry 4 the long on.. just got whippy-whappy-whoo over the subj ;)
We feel secure in the realms of the unknown!
We fanatsize about the world with them around physically and still we are pleased they are not there! coz for some or the other reasons; the people known donot make up for the sky rocketed, imaginations we have ;)
some one said " I feel like a loose tooth in a sick socket".. i feel like that too.. jus that when we meet like minded people virtually.. we create a bonding based on facts that we potray.. wud yu know what i write or potray is the real me?? it is the me thats never cme out in the open in the real world.. of fears of being stomped down and branded as unreal.. philosphical.. and not fitting.. joke of the town ( or whatever!! not that one cares.. but we don't have this kind of audience do we)
of people around.. God don't ask!
Connection makes the distances shorten up!
real life?? if I could have my say and be with people i identify with.. i wud have a blast I swear ;)
sorry again..
keep the posts rolling!! they are awesome!
lov
veens..
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