"Virtual Reclusive": are you one?

Dionysus

There was a great discussion on Tubridy this morning about being a recluse; I'm just listening to it now on the RTÉ website.

In it they talked about a new type of recluse, the "virtual reclusive", those who isolate themselves from everybody but maintain a connection with an online community. They were also talking about the motivations for people to become reclusive. (Michael Harding, a self confessed recluse, is great and very funny in this discussion)

I'd say there's a fair slew of people here like that. Are you one of them, and why have you rejected the rest of people? (they were saying a lot of reclusive people are so because they fear rejection)

Working 12 hour shifts on my own away from home does wonders for my social life.
I virtually live here.

GLaDOS

I have a social life and girlfriend, but all my time at home tends to be spent online... so I'm not sure

My name is URL

I have reclusive tendencies anyway, the internet just makes it easier to deal with

DazMarz

I go out a lot, but mostly to play bloody cards! Or to go to football matches, or to watch them in the pub. I work a lot.

A lot of my free time at home seems to be spent in front of my laptop.

InKonspikuou2

Nah there's only so much porn on the internet. I get out every now and then for a rug & tug.

ibarelycare

I voted "No" but I think I'm more "Kinda." I love my friends and I love going out at weekends but for me one day a week is enough to see them. They tend to see each other a good few times a week but I love just coming home and being on my own and I spend a lot of time in the evenings online.

wylo

im one, ive good friends and go out every weekend, but my life is spent on the net from monday to friday, I love my own company too much, but on saying that I would go crazy if I didnt have people to head out with at the weekend.

btard

I heard some of the program. Michael Harding was the only one who had any inkling of what he was speaking of. Even then he's just a part timer. The others were just the usual chancers who like to hear themselves speak. Anybody who can go on a national radio program like Turbidys to discuss being reclusive has no ****ing idea what they're talking about. They look at it from their own gregarious ego ridden mind sets. Pontificating about motives and implying reclusives are somehow damaged or not normal. ****ing idiots.

sceptre

I could tick all of the above options. Depending. Not necessarily a good thing, mind you.

InkSlinger67

Any reclusive couples around? Go to http://www.reclusive-swingers.ie/yeahbaby

admiralofthefleet

ScienceNerd wrote: »

I have a social life and girlfriend, but all my time at home tends to be spent online

im exactly the same

jokettle

I spend a good bit of time online, but my social life is much more prominent. I've been too shy to go to any boards beers as yet because I don't know too many boardsies IRL; does this make me an online recluse?

TPD

Time at home is mostly spent online and sleeping, but if I haven't got to get up before 11am, I'll probably head out socialising the night before.

Black Swan

**Sees bloodshot eyes in laptop screen reflection** :eek:

cantankerous

This poll is lacking a "I'm depressed/don't want to deal with life anymore" option.

It's nothing to do with feeling like damaged goods or prefering your own company. Aswell it is probably the biggest reason people become "virtual reclusives".

Columbia

I spend about 16 hours a day on my laptop at home. I'm a research student, so I do the majority of my work on the laptop, I spend several hours a day idly surfing, we have no tv so I watch all tv shows and sporting events online, and I download radio shows to listen to later if I'm bored. I sometimes go a couple of days without leaving my room (I keep a mini-fridge up here for food ).

That's maybe 4-5 days a week, I usually spend a couple of days with my girlfriend and one evening hanging out with the guys, but that's all I'm really interested in doing.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Social life ain't great at the moment because there's no one around. Everyone's either shacked up or abroad, I get out on Saturday usually through till Monday morning but the rest of the week is ghost town.
I'm not working, but I'm studying for exams. So spending a hell of a lot of time here.

But come April ye wont see me for dust (hopefully!)

Loopy

I think if I didnt have a busy family life and work full time I defo would have reclusive tendencies... I love being on my own and not talking to anyone. I have made some good mates on boards so that cant be a bad thing..

Abi

Yes, because I prefer my own company but not enough to be a true recluse

This.

I'm a bit in betweeny. In general I pretty much keep to myself, and see friends whenever I / we have anything new to report. I'm on here most nights, but during the day I'm normally too busy.

stovelid

Surely the hoary old myth that the majority of people on forums have no real-life interaction with others has been well kicked into touch by now.

How many times was the word "blogger" mentioned?

Wazdakka

Loopy wrote: »

I have made some good mates on boards so that cant be a bad thing..

Depends on the mates..

G_R

I'm busy all day and it night i jus like to pan out on the couch either watching tv or surfing the web. On the weekend tho, i go out, i'd go insane if i didn't have mates to go out wit on friday/saturday/sunday.....

So i'm not a recluse, but hardly have a very active social life

bonerm

We are so distracted by the loud, showy, brash people of this world who demand (& usually get) our attention that we often don't realise that there is an entire of subculture of people out there quietly hiding in the shadows .... some by choice others by circumstance.

My own ambition is to make enough money so that I can finally get away from everyone. I'm almost there too. I've felt this way for a number of years now and the feeling continues to grow rather than diminish.

Earthhorse

I hate other people.

Wazdakka

bonerm wrote: »

My own ambition is to make enough money so that I can finally get away from everyone. I'm almost there too. I've felt this way for a number of years now and the feeling continues to grow rather than diminish.

Everybody needs a friend

bonerm

Wazdakka wrote: »

Everybody needs a friend

First thing I plan to buy! Althought I've heard he's let fame go to his head of late.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1012434/board

Scarydoll

The poll needs more options. There are loads of reasons why people are reclusive.
I'd say I'm a bit of a recluse. I'm socially awkward to the point of it being painfull. So I tend to be online alot.

brummytom

I'm sort of an inbetween. I hate people, so I like my own company a lot (don't be dirty); but I do go out a fair bit too.. so, yeah I'm not sure

Ban Ki Moon

Poor list of options in that poll

Latchy

I like my own company as much as being with others and I meet up with some friends every other wednesday , saturday , sunday or whenever some function or other is going on but usually on here most nights at some time

phasers

I am, I only have 3 friends IRL and I'll quite happily see them once every 2 or 3 weeks, while I'm online pretty much all the time thanks to laptops and boring lectures

Jesus Juice

I was a sort of internet recluse until we changed to O2 broadband:(

The only thing that stops me from being a near-total hermit is that I work in a job with a partial customer service role. If it wasn't for that then the only people I'd interact with in real life are my family.

Super-Rush

brummytom wrote: »

I'm sort of an inbetween. I hate people, so I like my own company a lot (don't be dirty); but I do go out a fair bit too.. so, yeah I'm not sure

Same here. I probably spend half my time at home on my computer but the other half is spent socialising and working.

I hate people

I thought i was the only one. People pi$$ me off.

cafecolour

I don't know why, but I'm basically a virtual recluse from about October - March, and then out with mates 6 nights a week from April - September.

Earthhorse

super-rush wrote: »

I thought i was the only one. People pi$$ me off.

Let's form a club but not join it.

Thomas828

I don't go out at night to "socialise" or do any kind of "networking". At the same time I don't bother with sites like Bebo or Twitter. Boards.ie and MSN are about as far as I go. And during the day I'm usually too busy whizzing about London on my bike to waste my time socialising.

bonerm

Earthhorse wrote: »

Let's form a club but not join it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvM-WQP7SOw

brummytom

super-rush wrote: »

I thought i was the only one. People pi$$ me off.

Mod: After Hours, Carlow

:eek::eek:

*looks angelic*

Thomas828

InKonspikuou2 wrote: »

Nah there's only so much porn on the internet.

You mean to say the internet is not infinite?

Agricola

Karsini wrote: »

The only thing that stops me from being a near-total hermit is that I work in a job with a partial customer service role. If it wasn't for that then the only people I'd interact with in real life are my family.

Im kind of like this too. If it wasnt for my work i often think the only human contact id have with any regularity would be my own family! I have a small group of close friends that I see once every 2/3 weeks. The rest of the time its either work or at home watching tv, reading, or online.
I used to have alot more things on the go when I was a teenager / early twenties but friends got hitched etc and things just slowed down. Im not complaining. I never liked the out every night of the weekend, get hammered, go to clubs scene. I think im happier now. Generally i prefer my own company. The vast majority of people ive met in my life up to now, i havent wanted to spend any length of time with.

Earthhorse

bonerm wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvM-WQP7SOw

See? I make a joke and a minute later someone puts it into their routine and has it up on YouTube.

People! :mad:

nyarlothothep

hmmm, Im not a social person but require some social stimulus during downtime, ideally I like to work on my own with minimum contact, then use 2-3 nights a week for socializing and 1-3 hours per day interacting with friends, probably during the evening. I used to have this routine and it suited me perfectly.

Misty Chaos

I like being on my own and am generally a quiet person but that I can only live like that for a few days, after that, the cabin fever will set in.

I do go out most Saturdays, its usually my main means of socializing, especially during the summer months.

anonymous_joe

I enjoy spending time on my own, and I'd be worried if I didn't, but I also spend a lot of time with people too.

I mean, tonight's the first night this week I've not been out. Sometimes, as in last night, I was out on the tear, but often enough, I'd just go and hang out with my mates. Then again, I could happily spend a week and just read books, watch tv, go to the gym and play video games and not bother seeing anybody.

anniehoo

This is one of the most interestin threads on here in ages! It really made me think.:P

I live on my own and loooove it and have done for over 2yrs now.Im strugglin with bills a bit now, but still prefer that than the idea of a lodger. All the sh!t that goes with that malarky.Been there done that :eek: Never again!

I was out for dinner tonight with mates,great craic and am out tomorrow for the rugby. Lookin forward to it. But, i seriously love potterin around my gaff monday to thursday doin nothin. I dont get lonely (good in my opinion) and i can happily entertain myself for an entire weekend and not be bored.But, thats my limit. After that, i think the brain gets a bit too introspective and ya need a good natter and a giggle (or a moan with someone bar yourself).

Yep,people wreck my head alot of the time..but also push every other button (laughter,compassion,understanding,relaxation,sexual,fun..blah blah) so i dont want to miss out on all of that either.

Recluse..mmm...not at all...and i really dont want to be one.I have a love/hate relationship with people and theres too much gossip too miss.:D

Duggy747

4pm: Wake up
4:03pm: Eat cereal
4:05pm: Put headphones on and turn on laptop
9:00pm: Enters reality once again, says hello, skins up a smoke, goes back to laptop.
5am: Go to bed

This is litteraly my housemate's daily routine, it's gone beyond a joke the rest of us think

kumate_champ07

I need to manage my finances better so that I can be less of a recluse

Pdfile

Duggy747 wrote: »

4pm: Wake up
4:03pm: Eat cereal
4:05pm: Put headphones on and turn on laptop
9:00pm: Enters reality once again, says hello, skins up a smoke, goes back to laptop.
5am: Go to bed

This is litteraly my housemate's daily routine, it's gone beyond a joke the rest of us think

better email him then and tell him about it :pac:

Duggy747

Pdfile wrote: »

better email him then and tell him about it :pac:

It's come down to the point where somebody sends him a message on facebook to go make some tea!