the connected world
The interconnectedness of the world today is the greatest consequence of the phenomenon of globalization. In every way, globalization has shrunk the world, shortened distances and made contact between distant, previously unreachable parts possible. At the same time that it has shortened distances, globalization, more specifically the internet, has increased our perceptible world, of so that with just a click of a mouse it is possible to glimpse realities from all corners of the world and in a space of time tiny. This connection, however, goes beyond information: it allows for constant interaction between people and groups from absolutely distant and different regions.
virtual ties, real feelings
The interaction with the distant other does not happen in any other way, through the internet, if not virtually. However, this is no barrier for emotional bonds to form between those who know each other and create bonds of friendship within this world. Virtual relationships differ in the way individuals maintain contact and often, despite the absence of physical contact between the parties, the sentimental bonds that form can become as deep as those we establish in the "real life". In fact, we could observe that the counterpoint to this lack of physical contact is the possibility of constant and uninterrupted contact as long as it is in the interest of the parties involved. Physical proximity contact, even though distance is not such a big problem, is often made impossible by our limitation in being physically in just one place at a time, while in the virtual world we can be present at a series of events and keep in constant contact with whoever we wish.
Chat rooms, social networks and online games are platforms that allow direct interaction between people who naturally grouped around their interests. This form of grouping by interest, which also exists to a lesser extent in our interactions in the real world, ends up being the main lever for starting contact. The search for the feeling of belonging is what ends up becoming the engine for the construction of virtual communities, where different individuals gather around a common point of interest. The identity of this group is constructed and maintained by those who constitute it, and it may cease to exist overnight or exist for years, and it may go beyond the virtual world.
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virtual world, real problems
Although they can be as strong as the bonds of relationships that are built in the real world, virtual relationships are subject to the insecurity of anonymity that the internet provides. A subject's identity can be both real and invented, ranging from manipulation for perverse purposes to the construction of a persona for the purpose of entertaining its creator. It is at this point that virtual relationships must be carefully considered by those who decide to venture into the virtual world. The illusion of intimacy and closeness that these relationships can have, can end up becoming a trap for the most emotionally vulnerable.
For the most vulnerable, the internet can become a catalyst for possible socialization problems. Some sociology writers argue, as Anthony Giddens informs us, that it is possible that people are spending less time interacting with others in the physical world. These theorists fear that the internet will eventually become a haven for those who, for one reason or another, wish to escape from the social interactions of the real world.
by Lucas Oliveira
Graduated in Sociology
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
RODRIGUES, Lucas de Oliveira. "Virtual Relationship"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/sociologia/relacionamento-virtual.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
