February 20, 2009

The Ugly Truth About Cyber Creeping Pt. I



Hello Boys & Girls. Today we're going to talk about cyber-flirting, cyber-cheating and the thin line in between. Technology allows for those lines to be blurred significantly and some of you may not know how to discern the two. No worries. This Bug has a few theories.

Let's say you create an account for one of those nifty online social networking sites a'la Myspace or Facebook. At first it's okay. You're still learning how to navigate the damn thing and don't spend much time on it. Then gradually you begin to have many blasts from the past. People you haven't seen hide nor hair from in eons are suddenly a keystroke away. What fun! This is kinda cool after all. It's all going along smoothly- just something you log on to when you're bored. And just when you think it's safe- that certain someone pops onto the scene. You may just be going about your everyday business, or you may be secretly hoping this person has gotten with the times and also signed up. It may be an Ex from back in the day or someone who always ran in the same social circles as you- but you never quite crossed paths. Whatever it may be, it starts out harmless enough.

There's the whole "Hey! How have you been?! Wow. It's been forever!" catch-up followed by glossing over some very pertinent details of one another's lives. This person may be married, engaged or involved in a committed relationship. It may or may NOT be common knowledge...Now pay attention because this is where it gets tricky. Playful banter can easily slip into something more serious.

If one or both parties are in a "real life" relationship- no matter the state of it, they may find themselves escaping real life through this cyber connection. Suddenly, they are logging on at inopportune times to check their messages. Signing on late at night because they simply cannot wait until the coast is clear. They may send thinly veiled signals to each other that may not be visible to the naked eye. And just like that; the birth of the Online Affair.

The trouble with the Internet rendezvous is that the gravitational pull may be too strong for one or both parties. Sooner or later, plans to meet up in person eventually come up...

*************Stay tuned for Part II*************


Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

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