There are people who think that the Internet world is imaginary. They are confused. The Internet is an extension of the real world. Real business gets done on the Internet. Real research gets done on the Internet. Real relationships start on the Internet and in many cases lead to marriage.
I had two long-term relationships – one involving marriage and having children – that started on the Internet. There was nothing imaginary about them. In both cases we lived together, and in both cases we had meaningful relationships.
As for conventional thought on dating, it is demonstrably wrong. First my former wife was advised to go with a friend. She went with a friend. It was a disaster. Then she was advised to go with a nice guy. She went with a nice guy. Another disaster. Then she did what nobody advised her to do and went with a man from another country whom she met on the Internet. And it was a much better relationship than the other two.
The Internet is not imaginary, and it is not a tool of Satan. It is a manmade technology that makes many things possible that weren’t possible before. One such thing is learning people inside out, where the essence of a person becomes visible regardless of social overlay. You get to know people for who they are. And that is the best possible basis for a relationship.
The three major venues for meeting people to date are bar, church and Internet. All have their weaknesses and their strengths. Bar selects for looks and social skills; church selects for family orientation; and Internet selects for ability to communicate what one has to say. For a person who has a lot to say, the Internet is the correct medium of expression. In bars, nobody wants to hear in-depth material, and in church, nobody wants to hear things that aren’t consistent with the church’s interpretation of the Bible. Which leaves the Internet as a medium over which one can express his thoughts and provoke interest in people who are interested in such a thing.
Another valuable thing about the Internet is that it makes possible to go around the publishing industry. Many people in publishing industry are complete dickheads, and it is a pain in the ass to deal with them. The Internet makes it possible to reach people regardless of whether the publishing people agree with what one is saying, and it makes it possible for thoughts to reach those who stand to benefit from them while going around the guard dogs.
If the world of the Internet had been imaginary, it wouldn’t be constantly used by business and science. If it had been a tool of Satan, it wouldn’t provide a platform for Christian sites. These two slanders must go and they must remain gone forever. The Internet is here to stay. Work with it.