The Ups And Downs Of Internet Chatting Added: 10/08/2007

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When looking to see who else is around in “Cyber-space”, the Internet can lead you to a great number of people. IN this day when most of us are extremely busy, balancing careers and personal needs, many of us find that instead of getting ready, heading out of the house, spending money at a bar or other establishment and trying to strike up conversations with strangers, that it is easier to turn on the computer to meet others. At first thought, this may seems like a great idea. After all, you are already paying your Internet and electricity bill; going online to do a bit of Internet chatting is free and you can do it from the comfort of your home. However, one should keep a few things in mind, because Internet chatting needs rules and boundaries or one can leave the web feeling very down. In addition, one must always be aware that while Internet dating has its place among our methods of social connections and interactions, it can not take the place of actual real life encounters. If one begins to rely solely on the method of this type of communication and cyber connections, one may find that they are losing their place in society and the skills that are needed for face to face relationships in the “real” world.

Many people find Internet chatting comfortable and easy, because no matter what happens they are safe behind the computer. This is one element to always keep in mind. No matter whom you are chatting with, you must always remember that the other person is behind their computer. Even with a web cam, you will never know from sole Internet chatting what that person really is like. A web cam can be set up any way in which a person chooses. What you may see and interpret as a swinging singles apartment may actually be part of a room in which a baby is sleeping on the other side! So, chat, ask questions, have fun and keep in mind that unless and until you meet that person in real life you will simply have no way of knowing what they are truly about.

It is common for those who have done Internet chatting to say things similar to “I really know him well!” or “We have so much in common, she’s so great!” It is important to keep in mind that while it may seem that you have much in common or that a person is oh-so wonderful that you are only seeing what that person wants you to see. Do they seem very polite? Charming? Funny? That is great; however you have only seen the person that appears when they are ready to get in front of their computer. Internet chatting will not allow you to see what they look like or act like when they get home from work after a particularly bad day, it will not allow you to know how they will react in the real world in certain circumstances and you will never know just what they are truly doing once the goodbyes have been said and the computer is turned off.

So how do you successfully do Internet chatting with others and keep it a great and positive experience. It helps if you chat with others that live close enough to you that meeting in person is a possibility, should you both decide that you would like to. If someone lives in another country, keep in mind what they say to you. Do they see charming at first and then somewhere along the line the conversation turns to how unhappy they are in the country that they live in? Do they talk about how they wished that they could leave and come to your country? Or do they say that they love you so much that they would be wiling to leave their country and give up their whole life to come and live with you? Keep your guard up! Many people have only gained broken hearts from this scenario.

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