The Good Citizen said:
I was a bit cynical of online friendship, I wouldn't say I have made any real friends as such yet but there's plenty of people’s opinions I have come to respect and I'd like to get to know them better so it’s a good place to be and beats doing work. (Thats the only down side, productivity at work has dropped alarmingly!)
I think it’s played a part in cheering me up anyway, my self esteem had taken a hit and just talking and relating to people and seeing people in similar situations or with a lot more to complain about than I ever could have is a good way of gaining a bit of perspective. I feel my old self again more or less.
Anyway so you are getting to know people in the public domain so to speak. Getting to know people irl is about a load of separate individual encounters where you naturally adapt your response to who you are speaking. In here you have to be aware that everyone is potentially reading what you say so it makes you more temperate and considered in your response I guess so thats a good thing too, maybe to make me a more consistent person.
Dunno, just thinking out loud. Sorry I'll shut up now.
No, that was good. After some of the rubbish I've forced myself to wade through on other sites, it's very refreshing to read material that's not about iPhones, IPads, cars, and all of that materialist rubbish.
I was on a site for just over two years and it was a pretty lively cyber-environment where I had some fun, but there was also a lot of conflict and incessant arguing. Far from cheering me up, it actually began to wear me down, as the negativity was so full on that it became unbearable, and I left.
I've been searching for a good site for about a year now, have tried many, and they have all failed to satisfy. Too many hostile people on a lot of sites, making meaningful discourse virtually impossible. So far I'm getting a good vibe off the people here.
Let's see if it lasts.
floffyschneeman said:
I haven't felt guilty for being on this site, as I know my loneliness needed to be addressed. When I went on this site, my eyes was opened to how sad most people's lives are, even people I see on the streets. And how we need to really reach out on each other.
I did felt a bit embarrassed about being here, I still hide it when I am opening ALL at home or at my work place. But I think it's cos, I just don't my family to know I'm in this site as I know my parents would feel sad about it. I don't want my boss and co-workers to know as I feel it's part of my private life I don't want to share to just anyone. Oddly enough, I feel most embarrassed when letting my friends know about this site.
Yeah, people reaching out to one another in cyberspace, that's what sites like this should be all about, as many people IRL are totally detached and alienated from eachother, and real life social interactions are difficult for people like us.
And you don't have to let anyone know that you use this site if you're feeling embarrassed about it. I live alone, so no-one knows that I've registered with this site, and I'm not about to place an advertisement in the local paper broadcasting the fact.
Some things are just better kept private.
) but I like it here there's some good people so I'm sticking around. I was a bit cynical of online friendship, I wouldn't say I have made any real friends as such yet but there's plenty of people’s opinions I have come to respect and I'd like to get to know them better so it’s a good place to be and beats doing work. (Thats the only down side, productivity at work has dropped alarmingly!)
