October 23rd, 1997

Cyberlove

On the subject of cyber-love...

Seems like I discuss this a lot these days, so I thought I'd make it clear where I stand on the issue. My take on the whole thing is that cyberlove is something that happens to people who take the internet and the things they do there way too seriously. The very idea of an exclusive relationship over the net is kind of laughable, due to the open nature of the net, and all the things you're likely to miss. Sure, you can say the same about real life, but in real life it's all about real actions, not just text on a screen. And that's perhaps the main point I'm trying to make here, that "life" on the net is NOT REAL. Sure, you can meet people, exchange views, and make friends, but the things you do with those friends are just swirling electrons in the wire. You're not actually having sex with someone just because you describe what it'd be like to them, although a lot of people seem to think so. Why they do totally escapes me.

Personally I don't apply real life values to the net much. I'm a citizen of AlphaWorld, which is a real-looking environment, in which you can do things and talk to people you'd never dare to in real life. Including sex, if you can call it that (and I think that in a way you can. At least it's more fun than masturbating in your loneliness, thinking of Pamela Anderson or whomever). But these things never really take place. I know people have fallen in love there, and some have subsequently gotten married, but I think I'd have to meet the person in question in real life before anything that drastic could happen. I try to treat people in "cyberspace" like I want them to treat me, that is with some respect and common courtesy. And that applies to everyone I know and meet there who aren't complete assholes to me in the first place. But I won't pick out a particular person and tell them I love them or some such bullshit, when I really want to be with as many different people as possible. Mostly just since it's possible through this channel, and that's what's great with it, IMHO.

So, enough of this ranting, I'm off to shoot down some germans in Warbirds, my other net addiction. Love to you all, just not specifically to any of you. Yet :).