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by nyedrytdyf 3044 days ago
there are definitely different dynamics. IRL a person will get back to right away; online, your comments can be ignored. IRL, you have the context of the person's personality to supplement the content of what they're saying (for better or for worse, but definitely different).

human communication is also hardly only based on just speaking words, with body language and gestures and facial expressions working to convey full meaning. it is hard to feel warmth in online discussions, or at least harder.

furthermore, online discussion seems much more targeted, and less exploratory in terms of subject matter (this is neutral, not saying better or worse) whereas IRL you can flow from topic to topic. also, i'd say discussing personal topics in person is more rewarding due to a combination of all the above.