The Internet

[Piraka Wario]

[19:56] ralphfan: Since I use proper grammar and spelling in RL, why not practice it here?

According to Ralphfan, he uses proper spelling in real life. What could that possibly mean? First of all, since I saw him say that, I know that he was in fact implying that I am not real, which doesn't get us off to a good start. Second of all, if not when communication with another human being, what is possibly "real life" to him? OK, maybe he thinks that speaking to people and being able to see their face is "real life". So, does he just constantly spell everything out instead of speaking normally? Of course not. What he means is that in his mind, writing something down on paper is a real thing, and talking to people on the internet is not. According to Ralphfan, a piece of paper is more "real" than a human being is. And it's not just idiots like him, almost everyone I know over the internet says stupid *bleep* like that.

Maybe it's just because most of the websites I go on are about gaming, so it's embedded in their minds that anything inside a screen is fake? Couldn't be, since multiplayer games have been around for long enough to have stopped that. Is it because people were brought up by their parents to think that they should never mix up "real life" with the internet by meeting someone over the internet in "real life"? Probably not because I've met people who have met people on the internet and then met them in "real life" who still think that. Maybe it's because they're just not trusting people and think that everyone on the internet is lying about whatever they say? If so, these people would stop using Wikipedia, Google, etc. Were they brought up religious and just taught to refute science, and thus just assume computers are magic or something? Probably not, since most of them seem to be atheists or agnostics.

I honestly have no idea why the "internet =/= real life" thing is so deeply embedded in everyone's heads that even writing something down on a piece of paper is considered part of the universe, while the internet is considered a figment of their imaginations. Computers are real physical things, and although these people rarely understand exactly how they work(I don't either), they can be connected through the internet and used to communicate with real people in other places rather quickly. Maybe it's because these people are all fat geeks who have subconsciously assumed that there really isn't anything else outside their house and decided that because they never meet people who interest them in "real life", then the internet must be a completely different realm?

It confuses me to no end. People run businesses on the internet, some of the largest businesses of today are based around the internet. Many many people are on the internet, and communicate using it daily. It is easily one of the most prominent things in our lives today, and yet so many people think that there is not a single "real" person on it.

[Sharks Territory]

In this case, I meant real life as in person-to-person face-to-face contact.  I don't see why you're making this such a huge deal.  I think you understood what I mean.

[Piraka Wario]

First, this rant was not specifically directed towards you. Second, you failed to address the part of the rant which was directed towards you: Do you just constantly spell everything out in real life or something?

[Arceus]

[Sharks Territory]

First, this rant was not specifically directed towards you. Second, you failed to address the part of the rant which was directed towards you: Do you just constantly spell everything out in real life or something?

I spell it out if it's on paper.

[Piraka Wario]

On paper =/= face to face. >_>

[Sharks Territory]

I think we shouldn't be calling it "real life."  I think our endeavors on the internet should be referred to as our "digital life," and our endeavors elsewhere should be called our "analog life," as analog is an antonym of digital.

As for the term "real life," it is similar to "kicking your butt."  If I kick your butt, I'd beat you up.  However, it might not involve bringing my foot upon your ass.

[Piraka Wario]

think our endeavors on the internet should be referred to as our "digital life," and our endeavors elsewhere should be called our "analog life," as analog is an antonym of digital.

...
How bizarre and pointless.

[Sharks Territory]

think our endeavors on the internet should be referred to as our "digital life," and our endeavors elsewhere should be called our "analog life," as analog is an antonym of digital.

...
How bizarre and pointless.

Well, it's a better term than "real life," don't you think?  Isn't that what you were talking about in the first place?

[Piraka Wario]

No, I was talking about the bizarre difference most people perceive between "real life" and "internet life". If you want to make up some new boundary between them other than one being imaginary and one being "real", than I cannot stop you.

[Sharks Territory]

No, I was talking about the bizarre difference most people perceive between "real life" and "internet life". If you want to make up some new boundary between them other than one being imaginary and one being "real", than I cannot stop you.

Ah.  Well, I really have no explanation for why people perceive between the two.  Maybe in "analog life," they know who they're talking to.  On the internet, they might be talking to a phony.  You make a great point.

[Super Happy Nerd Time]

"Real life" is just a term you use when you tell people something you're not doing on the computer (technailly, that means Twitter has made "RL" less used). There's no "Analog Life" and "Digital Life" because you're still the same person living the same one life (on and off the computer), although sometimes you have a different name. "Real life" is just a simple term; both of you are thinking too hard.

[Piraka Wario]

I'm not thinking too hard, people are just wrong.

[Super Happy Nerd Time]

I'm not thinking too hard, people are just wrong.

You're a person.

[Piraka Wario]

Dude, look at what board you're in. This isn't Mindless Junk. I made this thread for serious discussion.

[Super Happy Nerd Time]

It's alittle too serious if you ask me. It's just a simple internet term, it's not supposed to be taken seriously and made into a deep thinking session.

[Piraka Wario]

It's not just an "internet term", everyone makes this bizarre distinction between "real life" and "internet", as if talking to someone in "real life" is somehow more real than talking to them over the internet.

[Super Happy Nerd Time]

It's not just an "internet term", everyone makes this bizarre distinction between "real life" and "internet", as if talking to someone in "real life" is somehow more real than talking to them over the internet.

I don't think that way. I just consider the internet another form of entertainment and communicating, like mailing letters and watch TV except in a more complex way.

[Piraka Wario]

I never said anyone in specific, but a lot of people do.