When MFP turns into IRL....

13

Replies

  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Really though, I see online friends as a new, but still real, extended community. Some are as close as family, some are best friends, some are lovers, some are just people we enjoy seeing around but arent deeply connected too, some people are dramatic and annoy us, etc.

    It is wonderful, really. I love science.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    Of course, I consider many of them IRL friends and plan to have some meetups soon!

    Congratulations; I didn’t think anyone could make a Lion’s shirt look hot!
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I'm already scared of people on here….. can't imagine it in RL haha :embarassed:

    I am a peach IRL.

    ^^ Sounds like Seth Rogen when he talks. True story.

    Omg stop.... His harem does not need to get any bigger!!!!

    It's true though!!! I kept waiting for Jonah or Paul to show up!

    Oh whatever. :laugh:
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    I consider myself a little more guarded in who I call a friend, but I definitely have some people on my FL that I would miss if they dropped off MFP or unfriended me so I would call them friends. I would love to meet some people IRL, but I would also be nervous about it "changing" the online friendship in a bad way.
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif


    LOL My man would LOVE to roadtrip to meet Michelle and Franz :) We should really make this happen.
  • megans1980
    megans1980 Posts: 22 Member
    Sucks for those who never get to experience living in Texas! ;)
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
    The interaction on here with my MFP buddies is the only real positive interaction that I have with others at all.
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    I would agree with this! I also have MFP friends on FB and Instagram, etc.

    These same folks are always encouraging in all parts of life, not just those related to fitness or nutrition. I've never met any of them face to face, but I'd consider them friends.
  • Junken__Diraffe
    Junken__Diraffe Posts: 102
    I consider a lot of my mfp friends IRL friends. Some I've met, some I haven't. I share more here than I share with my IRL friends, usually. It's easier to be open behind a computer screen.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    I'm already scared of people on here….. can't imagine it in RL haha :embarassed:

    I am a peach IRL.

    No. *I* am a Peach. Get it right. :laugh:

    More like a lemon! :tongue:

    Bishes be all citrusy!

    We just like to make you pucker up.

    When life gives you lemons; make limoncello! ;-)
  • soberlicious
    soberlicious Posts: 121 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif


    LOL My man would LOVE to roadtrip to meet Michelle and Franz :) We should really make this happen.

    can you make a pitstop in DC? :)

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-15593-1342447844-14.gif

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-18672-1342450277-1.gif
  • Iceberg_Simpson
    Iceberg_Simpson Posts: 737 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif


    LOL My man would LOVE to roadtrip to meet Michelle and Franz :) We should really make this happen.

    THIS DEFINITELY NEEDS TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif


    LOL My man would LOVE to roadtrip to meet Michelle and Franz :) We should really make this happen.

    can you make a pitstop in DC? :)

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-15593-1342447844-14.gif

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-18672-1342450277-1.gif


    DC needs to be a WHOLE separate trip :)
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    To quote the great Potter Stewart when he kinda sorta maybe defined hard-core pornography in Jacobellis v. Ohio: I know it when I see it.

    Friends here are very much like real life. Some are acquaintances that I enjoy chatting with, some are closer, and some are very dear to me and know things about me some people in real life will never know.

    I do hope to meet more of them some day.

    My best friend here is the same person as my best friend in real life.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    KbgHKqz.jpg
  • EEfromJersey
    EEfromJersey Posts: 219 Member
    A common thread in my case we were both running the same HM both from Jersey it was my first IRL and it was a blast enjoyed it big time despite pouring rain there's a bunch of friends I would like to meet here.
  • Crimson_Fire
    Crimson_Fire Posts: 2,504 Member
    OK, real answer:

    I consider many people on here IRL friends. I actually trust many people on here more than I trust a lot of people that you would consider "IRL" friends (people I met outside of MFP).

    That being said, because of who I am, I still always expect people to eventually walk away from me...that's even harder for me on the internet because (as someone else mentioned) it's very easy to walk away from a friendship on the internet.

    Addressing both you and Husky, I dont think for a moment that those people who walk away are not impacted by that decision. Nor do I think that their reasons are always simple. They are making the best decision they can for themselves at the time and even if they tell themselves that the friends they are leaving "are only pixels& to make themselves feel better, I think they know in their hearts that it isnt true.
    This. There are some people here I considered real friends at one point. I was stupid and made some mistakes. Apologies were made, but not accepted. I walked away, but it definitely wasn't/isn't easy. This is just me though, and anyone who knows me on here knows that I'm a big sap & I care way more than I probably should about people I've never met.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    A common thread in my case we were both running the same HM both from Jersey it was my first IRL and it was a blast enjoyed it big time despite pouring rain there's a bunch of friends I would like to meet here.

    I got lost without punctuation.
  • littlelaura
    littlelaura Posts: 1,028 Member
    my mfp friends are great and I feel I have become close to and know a lot of them deeper than even people I know in real life but
    unless you meet in real life odds are slim to none that the friends in mfp will be forever friends simply for this reason... mfp one day is gone or you /them deactivate your accounts, yup some you have on FB or even text /talk to but eventually unless you meet face to face it wont be as connected as IRL. I have been on various chats over the years (decades) I have 1 friend from 15 years ago from all those 1000s of people I connected with online that I still talk to on my phone but this is because we met face to face off line and other than that none to show for any time spent on line. Sorry to not be all yeahhhh alright we gonna be here together forever but that's not how this will play out. The only thing that is real life, is real life. That being said I have meet about a dozen mfp'er in real life and loved all of them and plan to meet more for sure!
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    I'm pretty sure that if I ever met most of the people on my FL in real life, that my life would be in danger.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I have no IRL friends, so most of my friends on here are my RL friends. :embarassed:
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    I have no IRL friends, so most of my friends on here are my RL friends. :embarassed:

    I so didn't want to be the first person to admit that. Now that you've broken the seal....

    +1
  • Crimson_Fire
    Crimson_Fire Posts: 2,504 Member
    I'm pretty sure that if I ever met most of the people on my FL in real life, that my life would be in danger.
    muhahaha....:devil:
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I often believe my MFP friends are IRL friends that I simply haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. I mean... in reality it's only a matter of time before I actually get to motorboat Michelle.
    And it's only a matter of time before I get to sink my teeth into dat azz. (Take that, IPA!!!)
    True story, love... I'm gonna let her bite it and bite it hard.
    Joseph-Gordon-Levitt-Clapping.gif

    65402-just-livin-the-dream-gif-zoola-4hue.gif


    LOL My man would LOVE to roadtrip to meet Michelle and Franz :) We should really make this happen.

    can you make a pitstop in DC? :)

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-15593-1342447844-14.gif

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-18672-1342450277-1.gif


    DC needs to be a WHOLE separate trip :)

    I'd be down for that!

    I consider a few of the friends I made here to be IRL friends, and I've met several of them already. I have more in common with these friends than I do with most of my real-life friends. I feel more comfortable sharing TMI with them, as well. :bigsmile:
  • Music_is_my_soul
    Music_is_my_soul Posts: 792 Member
    I live 1800 miles away from my very best of friends and still consider them my IRL friends. Although we only talk online, in text or on the phone. So I see no reason why I can't consider my FL to be IRL friends! Some of them I have met and they are amazing people and I am happy to call them REAL FRIENDS! I actually talk to most of my friends here on MFP than I do my "IRL" friends. So maybe my FL is more my IRL friends than those I actually know and consider best friends. who knows
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    OK, real answer:

    I consider many people on here IRL friends. I actually trust many people on here more than I trust a lot of people that you would consider "IRL" friends (people I met outside of MFP).

    That being said, because of who I am, I still always expect people to eventually walk away from me...that's even harder for me on the internet because (as someone else mentioned) it's very easy to walk away from a friendship on the internet.

    Addressing both you and Husky, I dont think for a moment that those people who walk away are not impacted by that decision. Nor do I think that their reasons are always simple. They are making the best decision they can for themselves at the time and even if they tell themselves that the friends they are leaving "are only pixels& to make themselves feel better, I think they know in their hearts that it isnt true.
    This. There are some people here I considered real friends at one point. I was stupid and made some mistakes. Apologies were made, but not accepted. I walked away, but it definitely wasn't/isn't easy. This is just me though, and anyone who knows me on here knows that I'm a big sap & I care way more than I probably should about people I've never met.

    Yup. And sometimes betrayals of trust are met with other betrayals and you have to cut rope. Just like in real life you have to decide where you draw the line and how you allow people to treat you.
  • Crimson_Fire
    Crimson_Fire Posts: 2,504 Member
    OK, real answer:

    I consider many people on here IRL friends. I actually trust many people on here more than I trust a lot of people that you would consider "IRL" friends (people I met outside of MFP).

    That being said, because of who I am, I still always expect people to eventually walk away from me...that's even harder for me on the internet because (as someone else mentioned) it's very easy to walk away from a friendship on the internet.

    Addressing both you and Husky, I dont think for a moment that those people who walk away are not impacted by that decision. Nor do I think that their reasons are always simple. They are making the best decision they can for themselves at the time and even if they tell themselves that the friends they are leaving "are only pixels& to make themselves feel better, I think they know in their hearts that it isnt true.
    This. There are some people here I considered real friends at one point. I was stupid and made some mistakes. Apologies were made, but not accepted. I walked away, but it definitely wasn't/isn't easy. This is just me though, and anyone who knows me on here knows that I'm a big sap & I care way more than I probably should about people I've never met.

    Yup. And sometimes betrayals of trust are met with other betrayals and you have to cut rope. Just like in real life you have to decide where you draw the line and how you allow people to treat you.
    Agreed. Basically...yeah, it's easy for the friendships here to become real. For me, that means it's not easy to walk away from a friendship that was developed on the internet.
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    Agreed. Basically...yeah, it's easy for the friendships here to become real. For me, that means it's not easy to walk away from a friendship that was developed on the internet.

    I can walk away from anything. Except pie. I can't leave you, pie!
  • cklbrown
    cklbrown Posts: 4,696 Member
    What matters is the connection you make to people. People online have the ability to make me feel loved, happy, excited, passionate, angry, depressed, sad, and compassionate. I learn from them and they from I. They are as real in my life as any physical presence.

    I agree. My online friends make me laugh daily and even have the ability to make me angry or exasperated me. Online friends may come and go but that happens in real life as well. I have many real life friends who due to circumstances have become online friends.

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