Explaining Online Interaction to the Uninitiated

Have you ever tried giving a one-liner discussion of a concept to someone who knows absolutely nothing about it just because that idea wasn’t there when she was growing up? You should have heard me try to explain my job to prying oldies in my hometown who just want to snoop on what happened to the career of the student who pulverized their niece or daughter in a spelling bee two decades ago.

:gg:

“So, Woobie, you say you work in this place called internet. That’s in what country again?” (eyebrows raised). “It’s not located in one country, madam, because it’s universal. Anyone from anywhere can go there to shop and to meet other people. They just need to use a computer.” (smiles brightly)

If I explained the internet using an analogy, I would have expounded on websites being akin to establishments and blogs to actual homes of real people. And where do people go for entertainment offline and online? The movies = video sites; the park = social networks for some wholesome family fun; and bars or clubs = dating sites for meeting like-minded people, for friendship and/or hooking up.

The next time I get accosted by internet-phobes, maybe I’ll explain the intricacies of online dating huh? Up to now, some peeps around here are still aghast when they learn that a newly wed couple met through the net, or when a girl reveals that her date with a penpal-boyfriend involved going online and chatting.

Play Dating Game Online

Not all dating sites are the same though. The common factor being they’re ‘free to join’, but the differences come later when your needs and agendas for signing up solidify. Paid member options should be looked into by free members, particularly the more careful ones. Do they protect your personal information enough? Do they offer support for easier site navigation and chat troll avoidance? Does buying a premium account mean you can actually call people (and vice versa) without real phone numbers being exposed?

I was pleasantly surprised though that not all sites with the keyword ‘dating’ on their domain name are actual chat places. An example is that of my sponsor, Dating Services, a relatively new dating advice site that has just been added in my list of ‘must-reads’. They review these chat sites for would-be members to know what the membership benefits before actually joining, but what I love most is the insightful articles on relationships. It’s like having someone tell you the pros and cons before you actually join.

Like in offline interactions, internet-based ones need not be complicated. In fact, the internet should be as commonplace as your locality. After all, It’s still just another venue for self expression, obtaining information, business and dating.