Friendships Online (Stardoll)

I have never properly made “friends” on any other form of website within the worldwide web, placing anything related to Stardoll to the side, but I guess this post can be applied to everyone. For the record, this is not a comment on current situations or anything of the sort – just my views in general.

—–

Nowadays we use the internet for almost anything. I can order a Pizza from the comfort of my own laptop, instead of making that oh-so nerve raking delivery call, and have it delivered right to my doorstep within twenty minutes. Fifteen years ago there was no such thing as “smart boards” within classrooms. You had your simple whiteboard and blackboard. Suddenly I find myself watching Youtube rap videos on the subject of photosynthesis in Biology, then gazing at 3D spinning molecules of Crystal Meth in Chemistry.

People use the internet to do a whole range of different tasks. Whether it is to find your future husband or wife, sell your old Sims 2 games or to bid like an Ebay maniac on those pair of designer shoes that you crave to such an extent. What we miss or lack in the real world, we attempt to gain online.

Friends, acquaintances, comrades, companions, mates, pals, buddies, associates and chums alike are difficult to build bridges with, at first. When you’re younger I believe it’s far more easier to build relationships with people. There’s none of that embarrassment or awkwardness that heavily occurs when you suddenly reach high school. Although I suppose I met my friends really quickly when I started first year. Online it is a completely different story.

On Chat Roulette, if you don’t like what you see you disconnect and move on. That’s how it mostly works online. Well from what I’ve experienced. There’s none of that awkward eye-contact or ever-lasting silence. It a straight-forward “Hi, I’m Lel! How are you?”, and then the conversation moves forward.

I watched a documentary the other day about internet relationships. They got a psychologist on camera, who explained that having relationships online isn’t healthy and creates psychological problems for the future. She was talking about romantic relationships, but the same thing can be said for any kind. Solely depending on the internet as a way to communicate with people outside your home isn’t healthy. In real life you need to be able to have that one-on-one conversation with someone, have a laugh with a group of friends and just be able to let your mouth do the talking instead of your fingers.

My friends online make me laugh, but I feel that in real life there’s more of a connection or essence of friendship together as a unit. Don’t get me wrong, I have met an entire range of people online with whom I like to chat with whenever I can, but I would say having conversations with friends online and real life isn’t the same. Meeting a stranger online is liberating. One wouldn’t be scared of judgement – most of the time. You may find that people who share similar interests do not live around in your local area, or if you live in an isolated place way out in the middle of nowhere. The great thing about the internet is that if you have some weird and wacky obsession or hobby, there’s bound to be hundreds of people online that share it too.

Picture source: http://epued.blogspot.com/

It’s sad that I counted which ones I already own.

On Stardoll I sometimes just think the term “friend” just applies to a list. I pass through my twenty-three pages and I barely recognise many faces with whom I speak to on a regular basis. I clear out my list every now and then, but it always manages to sneak up. Do we just envisage this list and all the members it contains as a bunch of numbers?

Through features like Parties and Clubs we gather in large (or small) crowds of internet users from around the globe and discuss the most serious of global matters or to spread entertaining internet memes around. There’s that assumption that if you’re searching for friends or any sort of relationship online, you’re classified as an outsider in the real world. That is definitely not the case. Online friends provide a sense of freedom. I mostly talk to my real life friends about everything, but it’s nice to just step out of that social circle and relate to someone who is miles away.

I know people see the internet as away to escape from their real identity, and instead make one completely out of their own imagination. I have never done this myself, mainly because I am happy with who I truly am and I’ve seen the severe consequences of doing so, but I assume that you feel comforted by the fact you can be anyone you say yourself to be. Although when your web of false claims is suddenly destroyed, it can essentially cause the break down of a once happy mutual friendship. Well, depending on the kind of claims they used.

The most typical stereotype online over the aspect of fake identities.

Picture source: community.mis.temple.edu

I think it’s easier in real life to say someone face to face that they’re rubbing the wrong side of you. Online it isn’t so easy. Before you know your messages are screen-capped and are posted on a personal tumblr, blog or Twitter. What really irks me online is people like to boast about all ranges of things that aren’t necessarily needed. Yes it is lovely that you like Manga, Anime, are a female gamer, adore K-pop, J-pop, Japan, any other country in which you wish to visit, a specific band, a type of music genre that appears “outdated” etc – but we do not need to hear about it all the time through constant Stardoll presentation or social network media updates. Or even more so, people constantly lie in order to relate to your interests. In real life you can quickly give someone a slap – not necessarily so online. Only kidding.

Sustaining friendships online is difficult. It isn’t like school where you will see everyone on Monday at 9 o’clock almost every week. It takes two to open up your computers and laptops and actually begin to converse with one another. Not all things work out and people leave Stardoll and you associate yourself with new people every day. Personally I believe having online friends is a refreshing thing, however one should not solely depend on these people as a way of communication. You need to go outside and have that physical contact. Someday in the future I suppose there will be a period in time whereby we will only communicate with people through screens by advanced technology. We’ll become just like those folks in Wall.E. The sad future of mankind.

Lel.

–

Apologies if this post jumps around a bit. I should really create a plan for these kinds of things.

Advertisement