Online Relationships

As much as we may sometimes try to delude ourselves into thinking our
online friends are satisfying, an online chat is not nearly as
satisfying as a face to face chat. Many of us have lives that largely
revolve around Internet communication for a variety of reasons.
In my case, the internet provides a nice outlet to connect with other
bridge players, particularly the 20-somethings across the country and
world and in that regard, the internet (bridge base) has done wonders
for my social life. While it has certainly detracted somewhat from the
social life I might have locally, the bright young bridge players are
who I identify with best and probably would get along with best. It
just kind of sucks that they're all far away.
I would still choose almost anything that is face to face over any
Internet social activity despite it being more expensive and possibly
with someone I don't like as much. This is why I don't think I'll ever
stop playing in actual bridge clubs as long as I'm still playing
bridge and working in a job that requires little to no social skills.
Can one fall in love online? No. And I feel strongly about this. Even
if you talk daily online and play games together every night, you
can't build any emotional connection nearly strong enough to sustain
love without physically being with the person. Online friendships,
much like the difference between email and phone calls, is too
impersonal. Once a connection has been developed through actual face
time, it can be sustained for a short time online.
That is all for now. Time to go be social with and play with some
bridge players I mostly only know online.