MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Seriousness Personal Interactions in Internet

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-09-2010, 04:16 PM

While reading this thread, and considering some of the relationship questions posed, I keep thinking of the incredible variety of relationships that could be involved in these considerations. I'm reminded, for instance, of the school-age kids I see in my area, and the way they are much more inclined to touch, to hug, to be closer and more socially-physical than the kids I grew up with... things change.

Also, gender relationships have changed a lot... or, I should say, a wider variety of gender relationships are acceptable in public and private, than when I was growing up... or when my parents were growing up. Things change.

Bottom line, I couldn't make effective observations or make effective judgments about what people should and should not do online, with anyone save myself. And where I might not do whatever, there's no reason why someone else should not do whatever if they want to... and I wouldn't consider myself in any position to tell someone else what they should and should not do.

I've read enough about pen-pals and email-pals over the years to be able to understand how someone could get into a serious online relationship. I wouldn't consider it a big deal, though obviously, there are risks involved with someone you've never actually met... that's something that's never changed. Yet, distant relationships have always happened, and still happen, and manage to survive that risk on a regular basis.

I've also never felt embarrassed about something I was writing online... though sometimes I'm amused by my wife's tendency to look over my shoulder to see what I'm writing!

12-09-2010, 04:16 PM	#61
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	While reading this thread, and considering some of the relationship questions posed, I keep thinking of the incredible variety of relationships that could be involved in these considerations. I'm reminded, for instance, of the school-age kids I see in my area, and the way they are much more inclined to touch, to hug, to be closer and more socially-physical than the kids I grew up with... things change. Also, gender relationships have changed a lot... or, I should say, a wider variety of gender relationships are acceptable in public and private, than when I was growing up... or when my parents were growing up. Things change. Bottom line, I couldn't make effective observations or make effective judgments about what people should and should not do online, with anyone save myself. And where I might not do whatever, there's no reason why someone else should not do whatever if they want to... and I wouldn't consider myself in any position to tell someone else what they should and should not do. I've read enough about pen-pals and email-pals over the years to be able to understand how someone could get into a serious online relationship. I wouldn't consider it a big deal, though obviously, there are risks involved with someone you've never actually met... that's something that's never changed. Yet, distant relationships have always happened, and still happen, and manage to survive that risk on a regular basis. I've also never felt embarrassed about something I was writing online... though sometimes I'm amused by my wife's tendency to look over my shoulder to see what I'm writing!