[ad_1]
“It’s a wonderful arrangement: We don’t have to get each other’s bad morning breath, yet we have wonderful breakfasts together every morning like every other happy couple.”
This is a description by Andy Warhol (August 6, 1928-February 22, 1987) in his writing The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again) on his own his pre-internet “virtual relationship”.
This kind of pre-internet “virtual relationship” was the beginning of what we now know as “virtual dating”. This is a phenomena that has taken the world by storm. Wikipedia describes virtual dating as: “It involves the use of avatars for people to interact in a virtual venue that resembles a real life dating environment.” Individuals can meet and chat in a romantic virtual cafe in Paris or on a Caribbean resort. People can now connect in a virtual dating environment going on a graphically enabled virtual date without leaving their homes.
This seems like a wonderful invention. You connect with a created avatar – a created profile where you can be better, stronger, richer, good-looking and intelligent. You can be what ever you want to be. Then you can experience relationship-like connections without the difficulties of a real relationship. You don’t have the bad morning breaths of a real life partner, or the issues of a mother in law. You can have some form of connection without a long-term commitment. When you are bored with the connection you click away to the next interesting avatar.
I believe this phenomena (as well as internet chat rooms, online dating sites and Facebook connections) has become many peoples way of seeking connection and intimacy. Maybe because it is convenient, but I am convinced it is not for the sake of convenience but rather an intimacy wound.
We have developed an intimacy wound – a fear of rejection, relationship pain and difficulties, forgetting the art of RELATIONSHIP, CONNECTION and INTIMACY.
True intimacy can only exist where two people share their true self, dark self, gifts and sinfulness with each other. True intimacy can only exist where people learn the art of forgiving, siting with differences, doing the hard work through power struggles while being vulnerable and open to the other person. Intimacy can only exist where people re-engage with each other after differences.
My opinion – “Virtual Relationships” can produce some form of connection and relationship, but it will never give birth to intimacy. We will be more alone than ever.
So it seems to me – true connection is waking up with someone’s bad morning breath, sharing coffee, knowing I am accepted and deeply loved the way I am.
May you seek real connection..
[ad_2]
Source by Louis Joubert Venter