There was an interesting point in class about how the “present
body” provides some truth to an online relationship (i.e. the first interaction
over skype) confirming if the person is who they claim to be in reality. In this instance comparing the online
relationship to one that is formed through physical interaction, is there one
relationship more truthful than the other? In other words, can an online
relationship be more deceiving than one in reality? Or can they both be
deceiving in a similar manner? I just wondering you guys thought.
I think that both relationships can in fact be deceiving. I think the difference between an online relationship and a physical relationship (in person) is that online, those involved can specifically choose what they wish the other person to see, hear, or read. Whereas, in person, no matter how deceiving a person wishes to be, the other person is going to see what he or she wants. Nevertheless, the person trying to deceive may still lead the other to believe things that are not true. Still, I think that there is a greater chance of someone seeing another person for who they truly are in person rather than on the internet, simply because they are able to see the entire picture for themselves.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think both relationships can be deceiving, online relationships are definitely more deceiving. When talking online, often times it is hard to get at a person's tone when they are talking, you simply read the words they have typed, and interpret them in your own way. That being said, I feel like there is not as much emotion being perceived when communicating online, versus talking in person. Also, when talking online people can pick and choose what they want to say, and have time to think about their responses, whereas in person it is more immediate.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that both online and physical relationship can be deceiving. In both instances a person has the opportunity to pose as someone they are not. Although this may be easier to do online like in a “Catfish” situation by hiding behind a screen making it easy to portray themselves in a different way by editing of photos or the use of fake photos, one can just as easily give off a deceiving appearance in person. The use of makeup can prove to be very deceiving when it comes to enhancing appearance of girls in person. However, I believe that aside from ones appearance, it is much more difficult to be deceiving on an emotional level in person as opposed to online when all interactions are simply through typed words on a screen.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above statements which conclude that both types of relationships can be deceptive in their own respects. I do not agree, however, that a cyber relationship is potentially more deceptive. I believe that the level of deception is primarily dependent on the individual and how much he or she is willing to commit to the "act." Though an internet relationship could definitely be more physically deceptive, I believe that a person-to-person interactive could potentially provide an even deeper level of deception. The saying "there's more than meets the eye" comes to mind here, for though one may instantly associate a person with a specific stereotype, it is quite probable that the person beneath the physical appearance is entirely different. Additionally, a person's true personality could be different than the one they choose to project, and this could cause some serious emotional stress later on in a relationship. To summarize, I believe that actual physical appearances can be very deceiving, and it takes a certain level of awareness to truly know someone's real personality. This can make a person-to-person relationship every bit as deceiving as a cyber one, and potentially even more emotionally stressful.
ReplyDeleteSo long as the people in online relationships are who they say they are, the only real difference between those and relationships in person is the distance between the two parties. Aside from that, people are people, no matter how close or how far away from each other they are. This assumption carries with it the good and the bad stigmas that are attached to different people. There is nothing to say either type of relationship would be more or less truthful or deceiving than the other. All that matters are the people involved, how they treat one another, and their credibility as a human being.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that both online and in-person relationships can both be deceiving, online relationships are clearly more misleading . Obviously, being able to lie or be misleading about one's appearance is a possibility when it comes to online relationships. Another thing people tend to forget is the importance of body language. Even if one is not intending to deceive, they may have a different persona then what the other person thinks. They do not know how they act around new people, how they deal with arguments, their other little quirks, etc.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that an online relationship can be more deceptive than a “real” relationship. An online relationship gives the people involved an opportunity to choose what they reveal to their significant other. The Internet serves as this invisible force or barrier between the couple; this gives both people more control in the construction of their identity and how this identity relates to their significant other. A physical relationship makes it harder for the person to form grandiose lies about his/her life. While there can be deception in a physical relationship, the Internet and online world makes it much easier to hide aspects about who you truly are.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Larissa's comment above, online relationships can be very deceptive. Social media has given people a safety blanket to portray themselves in any form they want. If a person has ever watched seasons of Catfish, we know that there are more episodes of people lying about who they are, rather then the true identity being shown. Those few episodes where the person on the other end was telling the truth, it was almost shocking and we have all become accustomed to people lying. Physical relationships are becoming less scarce in this day and age and part of this problem is social media. We no longer have to dress up, go out, and have a conversation; we can have a whole relationship online that can last for weeks, months, or years. It is putting a damper on people's social lives and is promising not to be healthy for the generations to come.
ReplyDelete