It's been a really long time since I last wandered into a chat room. Months. I used to frequent them in my teens, back when they were this really cool novelty–the internet still being pretty fresh and all. Cyber-sex and stupid A/S/L questions… After years and years of not bothering, I wandered onto one a few months ago and was promptly reminded of why I just don't anymore.
Chat rooms are inevitably ruled by clusters of losers who do nothing BUT "chat" all day, every day. They begin to think of the chat room as an actual PLACE that they go to talk to their "friends"–and the more friends they have the more they begin to take on that old high school hierarchical attitude. "I've been coming here forever and I have more friends on my side, so I have more pull here, peon." These kinds of people have become increasingly snarky and less aware of how patethic it really is.
I'm certainly not saying that everyone who chats is a loser, but yes, if you actually consider that a real social life (and you have the ability to leave the house, but simply don't) you are definately pushing at the edges of deluded loserdom. I get it that home-bound people benefit from connecting with others via the chat room, but what about the rest? Go for a walk, take a drive–remember what interacting in the real world is like. You will be thoroughly humbled and reminded of how cool you are not. But that just means you'll get to really TRY to be better rather than just pretending and throwing your so-called weight around in a world that doesn't even exist, with people who probably aren't who they say they are.
So, I guess that's why I prefer to blog instead. Whatever mood I'm in is the real deal, like it or not. Sometimes I'm a needy wreck, sometimes I'm an insensative jerk, but most of the time I'm just a frustrated writer, trying to achieve my own idea of perfection. No pretense here, just a ton of trial and error out in the real world. Try it, socially stunted chat room junkies, whoever you really are. It's both horrible and beautiful all at the same time.
~X
haha ahh yes like =)
This is a very insightful blog! I tend to stay away from chat rooms for the same reason. Even here at DT! Your words are eloquent and to the point. I tend to rant more than to actually write. I would love to be a writer. I journal a lot, but no one reads those thoughts. My mind races all the time, so it's hard to put thought to word….
Anyway, thanks for sharing~~
LL
Hi, Polar Bear.
No offence <==(I don't mean that any more than you do), and I really don't mind being disagreed with–when you're not spouting out the very things I myself excused in your rebuttal, but read my words more thoroughly or vent on your own blog. This entry was based on years of my own observation in various chat rooms and aimed at a select few, so if it doesn't apply to you or your friends
, chill out. I understand the purpose of this particuar website, thank you. I'm "here" too.
~X