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V is for… Virtual Friend = Real Friend?

a-to-z-letters-v
Virtual friends are those people whom you have met online. Many people believe that virtual friends are not real friends. And that’s because you have not met in real life so you cannot be truly connected to be categorized as real friends. I would have agreed to the above some time ago but not anymore.

Given the times that we live in, we are no longer surrounded by family, extended family and friends.

But with technology in our hands, we have built a big network of online friends. These could be through our Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Online Communities… These are our virtual friends with whom we connect more frequently and more deeply.

Though, we may not have met them in person but we feel more closer and connected with each other than some of our real life friendships. Their messages of support and encouragement, affection and smiles, truly warms our hearts.virtual-vs-real

It does not matter whether our friend is sitting next to us or is thousands of miles away. Friendship is all about connecting with someone with whom we can share our life, thoughts, feelings, frustrations, insecurities…

Through our words and pictures we get to know more about each other. Of course, like any other relationship, we need to build and put in efforts, stay connected and have commitment in our virtual friendship too.

Whatever interactions I have had with virtual friends in real life reiterates one thing for me that I am glad that our paths crossed. I cherish my virtual friends and would love to meet them in real life too.

 
Do you believe that virtual friends can be real friends?
Would you like to take your virtual friendships to the next level by meeting in real life?
Image Courtesy : Google Images

93 Responses

  1. I agree….I feel so good to connect with my blogging friends virtually. And yes, I would love to meet them in person…so when I can visit Jaipur??? 😛

    My ‘V’ post also talks about the virtual world 🙂

      1. Yes . It is true vertual friends may b good and make same importance as real friends if we know them better or meet them face to face.

  2. Yeah, I have met a lot of people online and some are good friends too. I still like to meet them and be with them. That’s more fun to hang out and enjoy other things like an ice-cream, a double date, painting toe nails, going to the spa together, going to the beach….can’t do all that online…so. Guess, I am a bit old fashioned, then.
    🙂

    Of course with the virtual friends you can connect at an intellectual level, still I like the feel of a touch of hand when they solace, gimme a hug when I need one, show me affirmation with their eyes when I need one….that all matters to me too much.

    1. That’s absolutely correct K, you need real friends in real life, the people you can see, meet, share, hangout to have a coffee… but the point here is that would you take your online friendship to the next level… ie meet them sometime, are they as good as your real friends?

  3. I agree completely, Shilpa. Until some time ago, I didn’t have a single virtual friend. But now thanks to the A to Z challenge, I know all of you, and I am delighted to count you guys among my virtual friends. I hope we can meet someday.

  4. Certainly can be !

    I have found my soul mate online… in this virtual world… I met her and we are friends for life… !

    Friends are friends… its just that this is a new medium !
    Yes we might not meet them that often… but that ok if you ask me !

  5. Nice post! Friendship really isn’t about the distance. I too have some virtual friends whom I’ve never met but whom I feel I connect to better than some of the people who are physically close to me. Technology really has changed the landscape a lot.

    Deecoded

  6. Totally believe in it. I first met my husband in the virtual world too. Have made some wonderful virtual friends and have loved meeting up with some of them in real life as well. Look forward to meeting you soon too :).

    1. I have met only one blogger till date, though I interact with a few over the phone and it has been a wonderful experience. Never felt that we are meeting or talking for the first time. Would love to meet you soon too! 🙂

  7. I am choosy and picky. There are some real friends whom i meet daily and still can’t connect And there are a few virtual friends with whom i have instant connect. Though i can’t get close with all virtual friends. There are a few like you whom i would like to meet:)

    1. Of course, connecting with all online friends is just not possible, just as we cant connect with all people around us! I would love to meet you too, Asha 🙂

  8. I didn’t believe on virtual friendship earlier. In my facebook too all my friends are those whom I know. But once I entered the Blogosphere, my whole outlook changed. Reading posts we can actually know a lot about the person who writes them. Unlike persons whom we meet in real life and come to know only about their physical appearance and public behavior, through blogs we get to know the minds of the individuals. So I feel more connected with them. And now I strongly believe in virtual friendship esp. blog friendships.

  9. Yes it is correct. Some of our virtual friends are close to each other. We feel that we have met them. I can relate to some of them more than real life friends.I can trust some of my online friends and would like to meet them one day.I do hope that I will meet you some day.

  10. I think the lines between virtual and friends and ‘real’ friends is getting blurred. I have s many virtual friends who when I meet offline too seem more ‘real’ to me than my real, real friends! 😉

  11. Indeed there are online friends whom i have met in real life and we share a good friendship and there are others I’d love to meet. would love to meet you too someday, if I happen to be in rajasthan or you come to Delhi, what say???

  12. You are right Shilpa, now we have so many friends from all over the world. Gone are the days, when we used to have penfriends,and would wait for their replies, but now it is instant like the instant food we get. It is really wonderful to stay connected with people, and communication has also become very short, but still it is worth.
    I have had the opportunity of meeting a dear blogger, who came and spent one night with me, during her visit to Hyderabad and Bangalore all the way from Norway.
    It felt so good to chat the whole night away, and I felt so close to her as if I had known her for years.
    Do make it a point to inform me if you ever come to Bangalore, it would be nice to meet you.
    Cheers to Virtual Friends!

    1. True, we are living in the tech age where everything is fast paced. If we can relate to our OFs, then why not take it to the next level.
      I met Kadambari, a blogger and it never felt that we were meeting for the first time! So, I can relate to your experience with your Norway friend! Definitely… would love to meet you! 🙂

  13. I am more comfortable with virtual friends some times but am always hesitant if I have to meet them in real 🙂 Due to present day conditions I too made many virtual friends some times more near and dear than REAL friends

  14. I value virtual friends more than real friends. That’s one reason why I don’t prefer meeting virtual friends. I am afraid they’ll become like the real-life ones!!

    Destination Infinity

  15. Virtual or not, friends are friends and friendships are to be cherished. I love each and every friend of mine and virtual is just a more comfortable way to connect with people I guess.

  16. Hmmm I have my reservations in this. I feel that in virtual world we show our best side to the world. I am therefore (based on certain experiences) a little hesitant in taking the virtual frenship to another level…

  17. I value friends and friendships, they mean a lot to me, I don’t mind meeting them, I have learnt so much from virtual friends, and I feel grateful towards them

  18. I agree virtual friends can be real friends too. It depends whom you really connect well with. With a little background check, you can be real friends. I’m happy I could connect with many through blogging. I’m attending the B’lore blogger’s meet and hoping to see familiar faces behind the blogs 🙂

  19. I totally agree with it. I have met many great people on line, many are those I view as real friends. Besides, before the internet, I had pen pals that I used to write letters to on a regular basis. I never met them but I also considered them as friends.

  20. I agree to this. I work online and have never met my colleagues face to face but consider them friends. Will hopefully be meeting some of them later this year.

  21. Now with age, I think I am a bit matured in knowing my virtual friends better. Sometimes, you are lucky to have met and found true virtual friends while sometimes, they turn out to be jerks.

  22. friendship knows no boundaries. In both the real and virtual world the chances of finding treasured friends and fair-weather ones is the same if you ask me.

  23. I have some amazing friends through blogs. As bloggers,we are bound by one passion and that is always a very good starting point for a great friendship! 🙂

  24. Hi Shilpa, I totally agree, virtual friends are like real friends. I have met in person many of those “virtual friends” and almost never been disappointed as what we project online via pictures and words are revealing more than people think. Unless you are a psychopath, it is very difficult to be “fake” on the long run. I have also worked with many clients from all over the world via Skype and emails and it is as effective as in person coaching.

  25. Hi Shilpa, I totally agree, virtual friends are like real friends. I have met in person many of those “virtual friends” and almost never been disappointed as what we project online via pictures and words are revealing more than people think. Unless you are a psychopath, it is very difficult to be “fake” on the long run. I have also worked with many clients from all over the world via Skype and emails and it is as effective as in person coaching.

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