Romance has been redefined by Net junkies, they’re even threating to rewrite the social order.

LOVE@FIRST CHAT........................

Love is no more a surge of adrenaline at first sight. With the Internet, it may now be the first chat that does Cupid’s work for him. More and more people are experiencing actual love on the Net, stopping just short of entering a real-life relationship. Sex,caring and sharing-you can find it all on the Net in abundance and with no strings attached. Isolation in an individual’s life is increasingly being filled by the virtual space that is threatening to rewrite the whole social order. A study on web use by a Canadian university(UVIC) says people are complementing their ’’real lives with the Internet to the point where reality and virtual reality co-exist’’.


AGE NO BAR.

Things not that different here either. Housewives or busy professionals, a large number of Net users have a virtual life.


MORE THE MERRIER.

’’It’s safe to get involved with people you don’t know as they are less demanding and always comforting. The Internet provides a variety of forums for these wandering hearts to meet. Chat rooms, bulletin boards, Coffee shop and special interest groups from bats, lipstick to nuclear physics are available for people to enter into an online chat with persons at the other end. ’’Secrecy, anonymity, control, intellectual engagement and 24-hour access’’ are the primary reasons behind the popularity of virtual relationships.


’’The traditional way to romance by meeting the other partner is quickly being replaced by Internet dating,meeting in chat rooms,and contacting prospective lovers using singles search sites’’ says Vincent of romanceopedia.com, a website which gives guidelines to lovers on the Net. A US survey found out that for 28 percent of respondents, Internet romances had become their primary social activity. This, the survey says, can detach such people from reality. ’’Some start neglecting their families, childrens,’’ it says.


I want to share one story with u that shows how some relationships on net become so intense that the two couldn’t live without hearing each-others voice over the phone.



LOST IN THE DESERT

Biswajit Mohanty,31, a software professional, has been through many ups and downs in life. But his highs and lows are different. He has been involved in a lot of virtual relationships(Net relationships, in case you are unable to connect!)


And recently, all his girlfriends online have ditched him, gradually realizing his careless attitude (his infidelity?). Biswajit is often in virtual relationships with four women at the same time. But right now, his virtual life has made a real impact on his life. He can’t concentrate on his work, ever since Mariam, one of his girlfriends, went offline.

He still waits everyday for Mariam, the 22-year old daughter of an Iraqi Army officer. Ever since the Us invasion of Iraq, Biswajit has not heard anything from her. He is deeply concerned, as he reads in the newspapers about the plight of the Ba’ath party loyalists and Sadaam’s armymen.

Mariam’s story is interesting. She used to work with a private firm in Baghdad where her working hours extended up to 6pm(local time). The young lady would invariably remain in office till 9 pm just to chat with Biswajit. The two became close friends. Realising the taboo of having a boyfriend in a conservative Muslim community, this was the safest bet for Mariam who enjoyed talking to Biswajit, sharing all that she could possibly think of with a boyfriend, yet remaining anonymous.

Then one fine morning her father told her that they were moving out to some remote destination, which she did not disclose to Biswajit. That was before the war broke out.


After a gap of three months, she came online again and told Biswajit how she much she’d missed him all this while. She explained her helplessness at not being able to chat as there was no Internet facility in the place where she had settled down with her parents.

But Biswajit is still waiting to hear from her...........................


I liked this story but came to realise that it’s not so safe to come that much close on net with someone with whom we have never met.........but people can’t change themselves coz i know some people change but some never.........and may be I?m one of them??..