EVER since the beginning of time, men and women have sought each other out for love, affection, companionship and intimate physical relationships. Some people argue that love constitutes one of life’s basic necessities and that there can be no life without love.
The way people pursue love and relationships has evolved over time. In the days when communication and transport occurred over land and across the seas at a snail’s pace, love affairs naturally took a long time to bloom and mature. Letters would take weeks to reach the intended recipient, sometimes even months or years if the couple stayed in different countries or on different continents.
Such challenges no longer exist in today’s Internet-linked world, giving rise to the popularity of online relationships, also known as cyber love. The Internet has changed the way people interact and communicate, and it is little wonder that it has grown in popularity as a means and venue for people seeking love to virtually meet and fall in love (whether for real or not).
There are many reasons people seek online relationships, such as fear of physical relations, body image issues, self-esteem, self-disclosure and social interaction.
The Internet has become a new medium of communication that allows users to explore virtual relationships before committing to actual ones.
Some people believe that those who seek love online are fearless because they dare to be different in the way they approach love. But, there are others who feel that those in Internet relationships are out of touch with reality. After all, if everything turns out well, the couple would eventually have to meet face to face. So, online love, they say, is only a precursor to real love and is not real in itself.
Despite the differing opinions people have, online relationships continue to thrive amidst the advancement in Internet technology, giving couples a chance at love, be it virtual or real.