In The article “Let’s Really Be Friends”,  there were 5 debaters who gave their opinions about online and physical relationships.

Jazmine Hughes, Sherry Turkle, Alice Marwick, Nicholas Carr, and Katherine Hertlein

Can real relationships be forged between people who have never met?

All the authors seem to have the same consensus when it comes to meeting people online.  You most definitely can start relationships online.  Actually most of them think it is easier to have and/or start an online relationship  For instance, Turkle explains how she feels it is easier to have and online relationship for the simple reason, people can “Edit Life.” Meaning they can correct what they are saying or doing without the other person knowing, rather than when face to face the body language and tone is more obvious and unable to be corrected.  Hughes comments on how online is easier, because you don’t necessarily have to be the real you.  In person you get what is standing there right in front of you. Online you can be anyone you want to be.  Hertlein also feels it is easier. She feels as if people are more outgoing or “bold” by talking about more personal or intimate topics.  But she also feels as if they exaggerate the true thinking the person on the other end of the screen with never know the wiser.

Just as they all concur that online is easier, they mostly feel the same about real life being scarier and harder. Turkle says plain and simple, “Face-to-face friendship is risky. It doesn’t make emotions easy.” Carr elaborates into detail how people get very nervous going from online to actual friends.  It is very scary when you are meeting someone for the first time. Especially after being online friends, not knowing what they will think of you or whether they were truthful about themselves to begin with.

Do online-only friendships count?

Online relationships absolutely do count!  Whether or not people know the other in person or not, there is still a bond of some sort. Marwick talks in her article about how she has many friends, friends that she has know for a long time but, she has never physically met. She feels the closeness comes from the word. Meanwhile, Carr also remembers having relationship with pen pals back in his elementary school days.  Even back during the wars, many of courtships were made by letters. Words are easy to interpret, the feelings behind them not always so much, but sometimes it is easier to express everything on paper or behind the screen.