ONLINE VERSUS REALITY: OPTIMISING EXPECTATION

INTRODUCTION

The idea of digital or virtual space has been in existence long before technology could make it a real part of our lives.

However, that concept is now gradually becoming (or has become: as we shall see later) a reality.

There seems to be a debate about the difference between virtual (online) and reality. Some argue that the real world is very much different from the virtual counterpart. Others insist that online is replacing the physical and becoming the new reality.

What's your opinion? Wait! Let's both look at the issue from different angles, before you decide.

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Social relationships often stem from social interactions. Social interactions are the mutual behaviours of two or more people involving accounts of their experiences and/or intentions.

Relationship is therefore when these social interactions become frequent, and people tend to spend quality time with each other, then they can be said to have developed some relationship. These interactions could include, verbal exchange, letters or even virtual. 

Before now, social relationships were limited to the physical. The emergence of social media has changed this! People prefer to ask for your Instagram handle than to contact you via a phone number. Some even prefer WhatsApp or other messaging services to the traditional SMS. All these choices are influenced by different experiences and reasons:  cost, ease of access or social image.

The argument is; is the virtual world different from the physical or real world?

Some have protested that the only people who see the virtual world as unreal are those who grew up in a world without internet. Having spent years of one's life seeing things one way could make it difficult to consider other perspectives.

There are people who spend about 50% of their daily hours online. Does that mean their lives are fake? These people work, make friends, make and close business deals online and so on.

I have friends on WhatsApp I'm yet to meet but we chat and share tangible information with each other, while I have a friend who lives three houses away from mine, yet we barely see two times in a month. Do you still think physicality should be the measure of reality?

Many of these virtual relationships have added more value to people than the physical ones.

As a result of virtual relationships, people could travel around the world and meet people who they would never have met.

Virtual world is a global one while the physical world is a very limited and local one.

MARKETING

Digitalisation is influencing the shift from brick and mortar marketing to online marketing. It is no longer strange to see emerging "entrepreneurs" here and there, people who wouldn't be able to afford a brick and mortar shop, can now sell products and offer services online. No doubt, the virtual world has its blessings.

However, there's a downside. Many people would have had one experience or the other where their expectations of goods advertised online was not met in reality (delivery) .

There have been trends like "Instagram vs reality", where people share their experiences of what they ordered against what they got.

Back then in 2015 I ordered a headset, thinking it was perfect for me, but I was disappointed when I got it: I couldn't even use it outside my room.

I'm sure we all have similar stories.

Regardless of these downsides, digital marketing definitely has it undeniable advantages. _One vivid and recent attestation to this is the outbreak Covid 19 pandemic. This pandemic put almost all physical activities on hold. Here, the virtual world became our rescue._

Most companies, organisations, individuals shifted their activities to the digital media. The online space became a more lively community. 

People became aware of the benefits of leveraging on the digital space and so many organisations have decided to reduce their physical activities.

However certain activities cannot be removed from the physical world, for example, science and medicine, politics and governance, amongst others.

PERSONA

_According to Mark Milian, "online personas rarely match real-life behaviour"._

It isn't uncommon to discover that people are actually different from the identities they create on social media. This is regardless of the fact that social networks such as Facebook and Twitter try to ensure users use their actual identities.

Psychological and sociological studies on social usage habits have shown that there's "little correlation between how people act on the internet and how they are in person".

Research into personality traits shows that an overly active chatty or rude person on social media is not necessarily the same in the physical world.

John Grohol, an online mental health expert and founder of PsychCentral.com says "I don't think that you could have any type of accurate or even semi-accurate personality analysis based on what people are writing in their Twitter streams. Probably the same case goes for Facebook statuses as well. It could be the opposite. _It could be that the shyest person is the person who tweets the most."_

I quite agree with Grohol here! I know a popular Twitter influencer who's so shy in reality that he can't stand before his classmates in class; yet he's popular and liked by many on his page.

Julie Albright of the University of Southern California says that Twitter "has in many ways become a personal broadcast medium". Albright is a digital sociologist.

Albright notes that online activities could influence reality: your number of Instagram followers could influence your level of confidence.

EDUCATION AND INFORMATION

One aspect of our world that has moved speedily from the physical to the virtual is Information and education.

Before 2020, books were made into soft copies; almost every hardcover book has a soft copy. Also the traditional radio leverages on social media. Many radio stations now use YouTube and Instagram Live for their shows.

While it could be argued that these resources are different in terms of form, the distinction is not too pronounced. For instance, an online document could also be printed into hardware.

Also, in terms of Education, the Covid 19 pandemic has reshaped the perspective and shifted attention to the virtual world.

More classes, trainings and so on are now being taken online. _Activate LDH is happening on a virtual space instead of a physical classroom._

The world has seen the goodness of online classes and we're taking advantage of it. The virtual nature of these classes, however, does not make them unreal or less significant. In fact, the digital space comes with flexibilities which are very advantageous. Talk about size, convenience and so on.

_Regardless of the advantages of virtual world, the physical space cannot be totally displaced in terms of education and Information_.

CONCLUSION

Recent occurrences and trends have shown that the physical world can no longer sustain man's needs. Digitalisation is taking the place of physicality, and the need to create a one world-community requires that more attention be given to the digital space. Organisations, companies, governments and individuals are now taking their activities to the digital world, upon the realisation of the attendant benefits.

However, there's need for balance.

 In our relationships we shouldn't disregard our traditional or physical relationships. Those friends are still very much important to our lives and careers, and they'll most likely be our emergency contacts when in urgent need.

When trading online, we should make enough research and be sure to transact with verified retailers. We could also choose to pay on delivery instead of payment before to avoid stories that touch.

_Although the virtual is rapidly becoming our reality, yet we shouldn't judge the reality with the virtual and vice versa. We should optimise both avenues and still balance it_. Don't spend too much time on social media that it begins to affect your relationships -- marriage, friendship, dating, family -- or work.

ONE MORE THING🎯

Online versus Reality is a two-edged sword. We should optimize and balance both avenues🤝

_Life is risk, online or reality, either ways, don't be left behind._

_Cheers✌🏻_

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