Does text communication give a real portrayal of someone?
Just a general question. I'm not going to rotate this to any of my experiences but was interested in knowing:
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback
.
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback
.Scroll to see replies
Text communication only gives a partial portrayal of someone and sometimes that portrayal might not be real.
I think its a very useful media, but i would be wary of how easy it is to generate distance using text-only comunication.
Certainly i wouldnt get far into a relationship without having spent some time talking face to face and or over the phone to somone. Text more so than instant messenging too.
Daniel
Certainly i wouldnt get far into a relationship without having spent some time talking face to face and or over the phone to somone. Text more so than instant messenging too.
Daniel
I don't think it does at all. I know plenty of people who have amazing, interesting conversations with people online or via text but when they meet up in person it's completely different and even awkward.
When you receive a text sometimes you read it however you like to because it only contains words without voice tone or body language (obviously), which sometimes makes them seem more favourable.
Also, with text people have however long they like to think of great things to reply with which could make them seem more funny or interesting than they are face to face.
When you receive a text sometimes you read it however you like to because it only contains words without voice tone or body language (obviously), which sometimes makes them seem more favourable.
Also, with text people have however long they like to think of great things to reply with which could make them seem more funny or interesting than they are face to face.
With texts, people have more time to think of the 'right' responses - whether its compliments, humour or intelligence. You aren't getting to know who the actual person is, only what they would like to be perceived as.
hmm...I think it depends on the person. For someone who is very shy I think it can help them act naturally and more like their inner self because they're not suffering from nervousness in big social situations. However some may put across a false persona online and in text form, act like they think the person on the other end wants them to, maybe try and re-invent themselves where as in a real world situation they wouldn't behave that way.
Personally I might make more of an effort to come across as friendly via texting, using smiley emotes and such like. Reason is that text is without emotion, and I am very friendly and happy in "real-life", I often want to ensure any sarcastic or jokey comments are clearly in a friendly way as I intent them so I might add a ;-), :-), :-P etc.
Personally I might make more of an effort to come across as friendly via texting, using smiley emotes and such like. Reason is that text is without emotion, and I am very friendly and happy in "real-life", I often want to ensure any sarcastic or jokey comments are clearly in a friendly way as I intent them so I might add a ;-), :-), :-P etc.
(edited 13 years ago)
To some extent, if you're shy, you may be able to open up more (skype, msn..). Still, it eliminates body language and you may interpret texts as you like.
I wouldn't look for people online for dating. It's okay to get to know someone better through online medias, but I'm only keen on that if I've met them a couple of times in person first. Then you have your own impression and you can "develop" it is several ways.
I wouldn't look for people online for dating. It's okay to get to know someone better through online medias, but I'm only keen on that if I've met them a couple of times in person first. Then you have your own impression and you can "develop" it is several ways.
Original post by DanielleT192
Just a general question. I'm not going to rotate this to any of my experiences but was interested in knowing:
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback.
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback
.This is a question that has no general answer.
Depends on the person. & it depends on what you mean by 'real' the thoughts are the same, just we excel at different mediums of communication and how we can portray that.
Also it depends on the receiver, a fact people often forget. I know body language is touted a lot, but what if you are the type of person who doesn't really care about that? and they could give amazing visual cues but you miss it?
OP just meet him, otherwise you are going to spend a lot of time wondering "what if" there is no way of figuring out as I've said, it depends on the person as some people are just crap at talking/writing others at talking
regardless, the person is the same, so the thoughts, ideas, expressions are the same just in different mediums.
to add; put it this way.
you have book clubs for a reason, because people can take different meanings from the same piece of text.
the same with real life, the same actions based on the observer take different meanings.
some people aren't great on the phone and some fixate on every word.
moral of the story: just stop treating "the internet" as this weird thing that only social outcasts use it's everyday now, I mean look how intregrated the net, social media, etc ..
and second moral as I said above: there is no way of knowing how people are using two
different mediums of communication. & to reiterate it's not just the person you are talking to that matters but you yourself i.e. are you someone who fixates on every word, "but you said X and not Y, there is a difference you know" etc ... etc ...
you have book clubs for a reason, because people can take different meanings from the same piece of text.
the same with real life, the same actions based on the observer take different meanings.
some people aren't great on the phone and some fixate on every word.
moral of the story: just stop treating "the internet" as this weird thing that only social outcasts use it's everyday now, I mean look how intregrated the net, social media, etc ..
and second moral as I said above: there is no way of knowing how people are using two
different mediums of communication. & to reiterate it's not just the person you are talking to that matters but you yourself i.e. are you someone who fixates on every word, "but you said X and not Y, there is a difference you know" etc ... etc ...
Hmm. Define "real portrayal".
Original post by DanielleT192
Just a general question. I'm not going to rotate this to any of my experiences but was interested in knowing:
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback.
Does communication through text give you a good enough portrayal of someone? Is it sometimes a better method of gaining insight to the real person as opposed to face-to-face contact?
I'd be interested to know the feedback
.You're never going to get more than casual information in a text. To have a real discussion, it's only face to face. In most cases, you'll never get to know the real person behind the mask, face to face or not.
Original post by Glowy Amoeba
You're never going to get more than casual information in a text. To have a real discussion, it's only face to face. In most cases, you'll never get to know the real person behind the mask, face to face or not.
what?
yes because book writers have problems discussing/expressing their ideas in writing ...
Original post by aws
This is a question that has no general answer.
Depends on the person. & it depends on what you mean by 'real' the thoughts are the same, just we excel at different mediums of communication and how we can portray that.
Also it depends on the receiver, a fact people often forget. I know body language is touted a lot, but what if you are the type of person who doesn't really care about that? and they could give amazing visual cues but you miss it?
OP just meet him, otherwise you are going to spend a lot of time wondering "what if" there is no way of figuring out as I've said, it depends on the person as some people are just crap at talking/writing others at talking
regardless, the person is the same, so the thoughts, ideas, expressions are the same just in different mediums.
Depends on the person. & it depends on what you mean by 'real' the thoughts are the same, just we excel at different mediums of communication and how we can portray that.
Also it depends on the receiver, a fact people often forget. I know body language is touted a lot, but what if you are the type of person who doesn't really care about that? and they could give amazing visual cues but you miss it?
OP just meet him, otherwise you are going to spend a lot of time wondering "what if" there is no way of figuring out as I've said, it depends on the person as some people are just crap at talking/writing others at talking
regardless, the person is the same, so the thoughts, ideas, expressions are the same just in different mediums.
Do you reckon so? This forum wasn't particularly aimed at the current situation, but the general question is now quite personal, the dilemna I mean.
I don't like the guy I'm attempting to give a go of it, regardless of affection or not. I keep feeling guilty because I don't feel anything for him, and feel as though I'm stringing him along, desperate for some sorta emotion to come of it. But in reality, I still have strong strong emotions for this guy. The problem is I have spoken to him for years on the internet, and only seen him once, so I don't know how it'd go. All I know is we get on really well through this source of communication and feel we are compatible with each other.
(edited 13 years ago)
Also, I would feel beyond disappointed if we weren't the same in person as we are on this. It would feel like time has been wasted.
Original post by DanielleT192
Also, I would feel beyond disappointed if we weren't the same in person as we are on this. It would feel like time has been wasted.
and delaying meeting is what?
Original post by aws
and delaying meeting is what?
That's true. I'm still wasting time, waiting around I guess. D'you reckon I should stop this relationship with the other guy? Stil have no feelings or any spark, although I have been with him for only a fortnight. Also, any change in your mind about this whole friendship/relationship scenario?
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