It is quite clear to even the most unobservant that technology in 2011 is ubiquotous. It literally touches every sphere of life from the public to the personal. One could even argue that technology often defines today’s spheres, in its ability to create and often times change perspectives. But for a wary treader in the wake of this technological revolution, the question has been when does technology stop and real life begin? When did technology become more than a tool of want to become a tool of need? How often have our lives online become realer than our lives offline?

Where is this article going with these questions you wonder? Don’t worry we will get there. How many of us belong to social networking sites? How many of us spend ages /hours a day on these sites -either communicating, networking, reaching out, building interpersonal relationships and more to others across global boundaries? There is an argument out there that with the advent of technology, the world truly became a global village. But in creating this village, technology has been moved to a tool that many use to fill the void for love, community, acceptance, appreciation and the list goes on - which might be problematic, after all should not all these be taking place off line.

This month’s article will be on the role of technology in our search for love. Each day females and males get bombarded with inbox letters requesting love. These notes are endless - “you are so pretty”, “ you are so handsome”, “ can you be mine?”, “sit on my face” etc and if you are on face book - the endless poking can be a torment. But there are those who claim that they have grown from the endless poking to a lasting relationship at least online. Honestly, finding friends online is great, people that you seem to have commonality with BUT finding your soul mate and having an internet relationship, now that’s at another level of madness. The level at which this writer is completely and totally against.

What? Yes, you heard right. There are so many problems with trying to find love online or claiming that your online love is really yours. Let’s start from there - how are you sure that your online love is truly and really who they claim to be? That their name is Mr. or Ms. XYZ. How can you tell if your online love is really and truly seeing you in the context of a relationship? From what this writer has observed, many that are online sending those in box messages claiming that you are the most beautiful, handsome, articulate, sweetest person they have ever met are often sending these same messages to other people online.

That’s the main problem with online relationships - it creates this feeling of invisibility and many are often willing to try things they won’t try in real life. One can even argue that online you can become someone else. How often has the shy book keeper become the raving lothario? How often has the raving lothario become the shy woman who is hardly able to communicate online? Starting a relationship online is a game and to play that game - you need to be truly careful. Watch your heart at all times.

For many reading this article, you might claim that this writer has been hurt from an online relationship gone wrong and is using this article as an avenue to spiel venom. But, fortunately, this writer can only claim to be an observer of the shipwreck that online relationships have caused in the lives of people. This writer isn't here to give relationship advice BUT

For those that still prefer to go scouring for mates online, these are things to watch out for:

a) How does this person conduct himself or herself online? Is he or she a flirt? Is he/she a raving lothario? Does he/she seem to show no signs of respect for the opposite sex? If the answer is yes...please stick to being friends and don’t let your heart beat for this person.

b) What is this person’s conversational skill level? Can this person actually hold a conversation beyond the ‘you are pretty or you are handsome or I want to have sex with you’? If No...Please don’t even attempt it.

c) What’s this person’s name? Do you have their number? Are they willing to share that with you? Can you get a hold of them anytime Off line? If NO...Please forget about it.

d) Is this person willing to meet with you in a public space? If No...Please skip it.

There are just so many things to look out for. But then, this writer has been accused of being from the old school, and maybe longs too much for the old days when people forgot about online networks,the world wide web, but preferred to focus on life OFFLINE and meet people the old fashioned way.

What do you think? Have you found LOVE online?