Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site oddjob.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!oddjob!matt From: matt@oddjob.UUCP (Matt Crawford) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: The "Reality" of Electronic Communication Message-ID: <1052@oddjob.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Nov-85 17:28:21 EST Article-I.D.: oddjob.1052 Posted: Wed Nov 13 17:28:21 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 14-Nov-85 08:03:48 EST References: <917@cvl.UUCP> <352@whuts.UUCP> <11@ttidcc.UUCP> <1617@teddy.UUCP> Reply-To: matt@oddjob.UUCP (Matt Crawford) Distribution: net Organization: U. Chicago, Astronomy & Astrophysics Lines: 29 In article <1617@teddy.UUCP> lkk@teddy.UUCP (Larry K. Kolodney) writes: >The advantages of letter writing are also its limitations. >Because honesty and forthrightness are so easy in an exchange of >letters, there is never any real trust that needs to be built >between two people in such a relationship. I don't know about that. When I write electronically I often find myself thinking, "Gee, that sounds goopy. I think the person I'm writing to will know what I mean, but I hope they don't show it to anyone else!" >You can even fall in love via computer mail. But what have you fallen >in love with? You've fallen in love with the intellect of another >person, NOT THE WHOLE PERSON. There is a big difference. Wow, what a reversal from the old cliche' of "you just love me for my body"! Interesting though. When you think you might have a romantic interest in a net.pen-pal, should you exchange physical descriptions or pictures before agreeing to meet them? I would go ahead and take a chance, because I don't consider myself to be very demanding about a particular physical appearance. But wouldn't it feel a little weird to say to yourself "I know now that that's a very nice person, but it'll never work because they're too short/tall/light/dark/skinny/ fat or just plain ugly"? I think I would feel guilty about having such "unenlightened" feelings, but there it is and what can you do about it? _____________________________________________________ Matt University crawford@anl-mcs.arpa Crawford of Chicago ihnp4!oddjob!matt