The risk of online relationships

All over the news, we’ve been hearing about Manti Te’o’s unfortunate situation – the Heisman contender recently found out that his long-term girlfriend, who was presumed to be dead, never existed to begin with.

As if we didn’t already know, the Internet has become a vital medium in which society interacts with one another: From instant messaging with strangers to keeping up with Grandma, it can now be done all with the simple tap of the trackpad. On top of this, it’s perpetuated the most important human relation of all – love, for better or for worse.

The Internet is incredible for connecting couples in long distance relationship. However, it can also become a tool in which people hide behind the shield of anonymity that a computer screen provides. The Internet fails at the honor system, and more often than not we find people seriously abusing it.

To each couple his or her own, but it’s safe to say that actual togetherness, meeting face-to-face, is vital to success. What romantic relationships hold differently from friendships is that relationships really involve a physical aspect (no, not that kind).

Whether we’re straight, gay, lesbian, or transgender, aren’t we all in the same boat trying to find somebody to love us and be with us for the rest of our lives? That’s what the whole dating game is all about. But in such a fast paced world, we need to be careful in seeking such instant, superficial connections.

And by no means do I mean offense to Manti (please don’t squash me with your pinky toe), but the vice of online relationships has increased exponentially with the growth of the Internet. When will it become common knowledge that finding companionship through a screen may not be the premier choice?