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We are living in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Most of us were instructed by our biological parents not to meet or talk with strangers. However, the advancement of technology is making us more independent in speaking out. In fact, it is easy to make new friends virtually. 


Do you think it is a good idea to make friends virtually?


Is it also a good idea to meet them up close?


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Image Credit: marriagecapsule.com

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For these so called virtual friendships to flourish into something more 'concrete' and 'authentic' it still needs to be personal and that only happens when you meet somebody in person. You get know him/her by meeting the person face to face and growing in this friendship facing real life experiences together. 
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Virtual friendship is still different and would always be limited. It cannot replace 'real' personal friendships. For these so called virtual friendships to flourish into something more 'concrete' and 'authentic' it still needs to be personal and that only happens when you meet somebody in person. 

49 Answers

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Best answer

Yes it is possible to make friends virtually to some degree but it can never be like the 'real' thing; of friendships built on personal foundation. Virtual friendship is still different and would always be limited. It cannot replace 'real' personal friendships. For these so called virtual friendships to flourish into something more 'concrete' and 'authentic' it still needs to be personal and that only happens when you meet somebody in person. You get know him/her by meeting the person face to face and growing in this friendship facing real life experiences together. 

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For some reason, I do agree with your point on this matter. I also think that being virtual friends are not the basis for having a good friendship. It needs to know these people up close.
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I didn't know this,but now I know this is very useful information about the matter at hand.
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Oh, I see. It means that you find it useful. Thanks for that comment of yours.
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It's true because it is online how can you determine that it's a real thing?I think it's best to meet a friend in person but its possible to make friends online. 
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Friendship is connection and communication, the physical appearance is just a top up. Technology has made this possible, today we can communicate with people far away without physical presence, so communication sustains friendship. 
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I am sure that there are some people who had started to be friends without seeing each other first. To some extent, physical attributes should not be the basis for having a relationship with someone.
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Answeree is a great forum to have more topics to talk about and more questions to solve for other people's clarity
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Indeed this is true I am glad you see things from this perspective because this is quite right
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Yes, it is possible to continue long-time friendships even meeting up with closest ones is impossible. Family is close friends, so, I'm okay with not meeting up with 'friends' outside family. 
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You have a point here. I also think it is not a good idea to meet a stranger, either online or offline. There is so much news that a person got hurt because of meeting these people.
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Yes. It is possible. Nowadays mostly all are using social medias like Facebook, Whatsapp. By using this social Medias, they became friends with unknown people. It is possible to have a friendship online without seeing them in person. But the loyalty is question mark here. 
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At some point, we cannot be sure if this person from social media can be trusted. There is a point of being friends with them. Although it needs to know them better up close. For me, it will be risky to indulge oneself with them. Perhaps meeting them in public will be the safest thing to do.
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Nowadays there are more ways to interact than just chat. Some do voice calls and video calls to let others feel that they're almost together.
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This is quite a reasonable and knowledgeable answer and I think you are quite right considering the angle you are seeing the question from
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Yes.It is possible to be the Friend of someone,with whom,you never met.Our social media is an excellent example of the same.People are making the Friends on social media and these friendships are improving our lifestyle.
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What if they finally decide to meet in person? Is it a good idea? Social media is a tool that can deceive other people. I am not saying that all people have the same agenda towards innocent souls.
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Yes. Most of the friendship in social medias is the example for this cases. 
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Important and ver reasonable information that should be considered when trying to understand this topic/question.
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YES IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO MEET FRIENDS VIRTUALLY, IF A MEETING IS SCHEDULED UP CLOSE PLEASE BE CAREFUL YOU CAN GO WITH SOMEONE FOR SAFETY REASONS, SINCE YOU WILL BE MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME
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I think there is nothing wrong to meet someone for the first time. However, it is better if it is in the open air. We cannot be sure the possible danger that may happen.
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Yes, it's a great idea. I met some of my closest friends online. They helped me tremendously in growing as a person, overcoming my insecurities, and getting rid of my anxiety. Infact, social media gives you the chance to explore and meet more people who are just like you. 
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I am glad that you found new friends from social media. I do think that these people can help us with good intentions.
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Yes obviously it is possible and mostly it happens with all of us in this current era. 

As the technology has so much advanced and we are so much socialized it is likely that any such incident happens, I would like to share mine experience here. 

I do have a friend to whom I haven't meet yet, but we became friends from an online game and still in contact. Tried to meet many a times but we couldn't but still we talk few times on social media. 

So this is likely to happen.  But having trust and faith on them remains a question still today. So we need to be wise and alert about it.
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Since in the modern era, we are enjoying the new form of communication virtually. I also heard that gamers can communicate while video games and the like. I also had my share of this matter. I have some virtual friends in forum discussion sites. They do share things that can be helpful for me.
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There's nothing wrong making friends online. I know some of my friends have so many virtual friends and they're good, caring and thoughtful. Some of them have already met up.
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I share your point of view,infact I think we agree on this,am glad you see things this way because it is indeed the best.
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I heard that some people did meet each other. I have not tried it but I am open to the idea.
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Yes you can be friend with a person with out seeing them in person and this is because of the social media networks like Facebook and Twitter which enables people see their profile before befriending someone where people can chat through text and video chat and through this you will able to trust him or her even if he or she is very far away.
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You called my attention to using the video call. I also think that it is possible to know someone through this. It is the modern way to know someone without having doubts about him or her.
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Obviously we have no choice not to because at the end of the day it's best for us,we have to be able to stand up for what is right.
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In my opinion yes, it's absolutly possible. To be a good friends or even a best friends you dont have to meet each other. As long as we trust each other and know about her/his backgroud is not gonna be a problems. In this era you can communicate from smartphone or something like that.
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There is nothing wrong if we can socialize virtually. We just need to be vigilant in giving our personal information. Sometimes they might be a stalker or scammer. I had read some people who got hurt or killed when they decided to have an eyeball in a particular place. It is still our discretion if we allow this to happen, which is not.
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Brilliant facts now I understand even more this is quite outstanding,this is a brilliant consecutive idea to the question at hand 
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This quite a positive mindset and perspective it will change people's way of thinking because you are quite optimistic
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Yes, I myself met my very best friend online. We have been friends for almost 15 years and have visited each other's cities many times. She has become a sister to me, and even is considered part of my family.

However, you should always be very careful, because there are many people out there trying to scam you - or worse. Always try to get more information about them before you give out your address and other personal data.
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You are lucky to have a best friend like her. It is unusual to have one online. However, it is not always happening in real life because some of these people are evil in nature. They make friends to innocent souls, but there is another agenda for being like this and that is, to steal something from them.
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I find this information quite useful, indeed I share your point of view and I understand you,this is quite reasonable.
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Generally your idea is quite wise and eligible for stimulating good thinking and the right mindset keep it up.
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Virtual friends yes. I have people on my facebook that I met through various forums but have never met but I'm not sure if I would get on with them face to face but we have some good conversations online.

I once belonged to a dating forum and a group of people decided to meet up in London as it was central to where we all came from. I decided not to go and I'm so glad as some of them didn't like each other and it resulted in arguments even though they seemed to get on online.

I don't think you can ever really know a person you converse with online. People can be whoever they want to be and may not give you a true impression of what they are really like although I have to admit I think it is possible to some extent for a person's character to shine through in their writing.
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With your story, it is not a good thing to happen. I am with your opinion that we cannot know somebody that much online. Meeting in the open air is the best option to know this person. The downside is to like this person or not after the first meet up.

Through writings, I also can determine what kind of person is the writer. It is a skill though. Sometimes we need to take time reading his or her writings. These people can be a great actor.
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This is very useful information with accuracy,I find this information quite outstanding and relatively important
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There are some people with whom when you talk, when you share thoughts,ideas, interests,disinterests you feel as in you them from before but the reality is that you haven't even met. So it's always about the person and not the way he met.
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At some point, we can tag a person as our soulmate. It is how other people feel despite not meeting this person. If ever they meet online, social media will be the best option. They can see and talk to each other through this.
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Very true and adequate people should start opening there eyes and seeing things this way.
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Yes, on social media, you meet many people who you do not even know, but after a certain time, they seem like you. After a few days when you do not see him, then you are interested to know about him. There is no need to meet him, provided you are good friends on social media.
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Yeah, that's sometimes really happen in some aspect just don't trust quickly know them more.
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@Soni Mishra I agree with you. It does not need to know them up close. I do have some virtual friends here and there. They are people that could be kept forever.
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Yes it's possible. You can choose someone to be a friend, to be foster parents , to be virtual boyfriend. If you befriended to someone virtually, you can make them as friend for sharing your feeling, when you feel sad or happy, find solution when you have problem, etc.
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You also got the point just don't trust too quickly some people abuse your kindness and ask for your infos to do unusual,scammer now a days are mostly online so be vigilant.
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@Shayens I can relate with you. It is a way that we can be close to others and be friends with them virtually. It cannot be denied that it is happening in this digital age.
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Technology has made it possible for us to be converged into one global village. Communication is the most important aspect in a relationship. When people are distant keeping communication open can help in making the relationship more of a closer one. 
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I agree. They are our connections that can build a good relationship virtually. It is a way that we can be aware and learn things from others through the aid of the Internet.
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For me it's a yes. Online forums and social media sites are a huge factor in connecting people. In this way there are few topics and posts shared on the media platform where groups of people gathered and talk about specific ideas and same vibes. In this way there are lots of people will be entertained and will chat you because of the same interests.
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I can say that we can talk sensibly with others virtually as compared to people offline. I find it not cool to talk with someone who thinks differently.
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For me the friendship won't be that strong to me. I prefer being with a friend and getting to know more about them and how they go about with issue with their daily lives. One can easily pretend and hide there vices on social media because they know it can chase people away. Even one can borrow items or even fake their personalities to please you. 
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I do think that we cannot live without friends, either online or offline. We just need to find the right gems to keep in our lives.
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Of coursr. You can it's better online without pressure. Even better then talking on the phone. You can do more then one thing.
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It is nice to take advantage of the modernization of our lives. If we are not like this, it will surely make us left behind.

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