Definition of "real life"

[Instab]

i assume most of you are familiar with the term 'real life' (RL). it's quite popular these days. as far as i understand the common meaning is 'everything but computer'.

however, i've never been so sure where to draw the line.
let's say i chat with somebody and that would not count as RL how about skype then? if i use skype to chat it's not RL but if i use it for a call then it is? dös phone count as RL? how about writing a letter or watching tv? or what about all those jobs today that mostly involve sitting in front of the box? do those employees not have a RL at all? ... you see it's a thin line and the more i think about it the less sense it makes.

am i not 'real' right now while writing this? isn't that the same time of my life as if i were shopping or writing my tax return?
and how about the breaks? if i go to the toilet during a chat session are those 5 minutes 'real' then?


well, what do you think?

[hellman]

Phone calls n chat in skype can be a part of real life if involves the people from your real daily life who, u know n meet.. becoz that way you're working on your social life

everyone has has a different type of life so workers who don't watch tv does'nt means they don't have a real life.... they do but different than yours.. everybody has a different type of real life.. yes your toilet sessions are real instabbuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[anon]

When you put it like that I find drawing the line pretty complicated as well, Instab. I'll comment in your post, point by point.

Chatting with someone I don't consider "real life". Same goes for Skype, since the only difference is that you're sending and receiving audio streams instead of text over a network. However, by that logic, phoning isn't "real life" either, since you're doing the same as with Skype, except that with some technical differences (Internet -> PSTN). However, the phone feels closer to being RL than the Internet, it's rather hard to explain why though, since it has some points in common with the net. Maybe it's because the Internet bill is flat-rate, while phoning is charged by the minute. Or because you can hear the other person's voice, and that's about all that can be done with it, whereas the Internet offers loads of services, so Skype is a drop of water in a sea of stuff.

I count writing letters as real life, too. Maybe because letters are more tangible (envelope, paper) and personal (handwriting), plus there's some degree of movement and interaction required to send them, at least getting your ass off and dropping them in a mailbox, at the very least.

Watching TV is the same as sitting in front of the computer, except that you have to refrain yourself to seeing what the channels are broadcasting, and can't interact with the content. (That and all the crap programs are why I stopped watching TV, by the way.)

The employees... I'd say yes. Computers are a part of their job, just like other people do different stuff from a living. So it becomes "real life" when you're paid to do it on a schedule and live off that.

am i not 'real' right now while writing this? isn't that the same time of my life as if i were shopping or writing my tax return?

I'd say you're not "real" in the sense you're doing this as a hobby, and also talking to people you don't know face to face. Don't get me wrong, I consider you as well as many of the regulars here very good friends, but it's different from someone you know... in real life, hah.

and how about the breaks? if i go to the toilet during a chat session are those 5 minutes 'real' then?

The toilet breaks are as real as they appear.

[Instab]

yes your toilet sessions are real instabbuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

thanks, so the most important point has been solved

Maybe it's because the Internet bill is flat-rate, while phoning is charged by the minute.

i got phone flat as well

I'd say you're not "real" in the sense you're doing this as a hobby, and also talking to people you don't know face to face.

lots of people i work with i've never met either, except by phone.

Don't get me wrong, I consider you as well as many of the regulars here very good friends, but it's different from someone you know... in real life, hah.

sure, no doubt about that

The toilet breaks are as real as they appear.

the second confirmation, now i'm relieved in a way

but serioulsly, my original intention rather was to ask if the term 'real life' itself was/is useful at all resp. makes sense ... and i'm not so much convinced

[slikrapid]

as far as i understand the common meaning is 'everything but computer'.

online dictionary to the rescue:

existing or occurring in reality : drawn from or drawing on actual events or situations <real–life problems>

also in the narrow(er) sense:

On the Internet, "real life" refers to life in the real world. It generally references life or consensus reality, in contrast to an environment seen as fiction or fantasy, such as virtual reality, dreams, novels, or movies. Online, the acronym "IRL" stands for "in real life", with the meaning "not on the Internet".[1]

however, i've never been so sure where to draw the line...you see it's a thin line and the more i think about it the less sense it makes.

maybe because this term is actually depicting/emphasizing an illusory sense of exclusivity (imaginary difference from some other state of non-real or un-real life) - since there is no other life than real life, one can have no other experiences other than real life experiences, ie. its not exclusive or different from any other personal experience in terms of 'being real', all experiences are real (what differs, however, is their characteristics/manifestations, their kind/type of reality), thus the proper terminology (in this sense) would be simply: life...experiences (the adjective: 'real' is not necessary)

granted, one could talk about 'real life' in the broad sense (the one i was mentioning) or in the narrow sense (the online dictionary one) or in a more specific/narrow(er) sense (the online IRL one), etc. which add other meanings/dimensions to the term, but with the disadvantage of creating ambiguity as well since they all use exactly the same linguistic construction which may only be properly interpreted by understanding its surrounding context/sentence

generally, the term may be represented by any one of these 'definitions' (and more) and there is a good chance it will be interpreted in various ways, less if the context is somewhat clear or the meaning is additionally explained - other than that, for convenient/common usage the wikipedia definition(s) in this case seem sufficient enough


btw. interestingly enough, after reading tokiodrift1's 'goodbye' thread i noticed this term as well and was thinking about maybe to comment on it, so i guess Instab's thread solved that one, eh?

[Instab]

btw. interestingly enough, after reading tokiodrift1's 'goodbye' thread i noticed this term as well and was thinking about maybe to comment on it, so i güss Instab's thread solved that one, eh?

and that was my motivation as well
but as i mentioned above i was more interested in the qüstion if that term itself makes sense at all and if drawing such a line is useful rather than just looking up the current definition

[slikrapid]

i was more interested in the question if that term itself makes sense at all and if drawing such a line is useful rather than just looking up the current definition

sure, it makes sense in multiple ways (less if one can't stand the ambiguity or, say, questions that keep coming regarding the subject), depends how you perceive it, which definition you personally prefer or arrive at through contemplation and it may be useful for your own needs for clarity, not to mention communication purposes

[Instab]

trü.
what i wonder about mostly is the strictness people tend to use. having a decent balance of all the stuff one likes to do seems to be a very difficult task

[anon]

i got phone flat as well

I'd have saved millions if we had had phone flat-rate between 2000 and 2003 in my house.

lots of people i work with i've never met either, except by phone.

But that's part of your job and not something you do for a hobby, so it's more "real" to me.

but serioulsly, my original intention rather was to ask if the term 'real life' itself was/is useful at all resp. makes sense ... and i'm not so much convinced

Well, lots of people use it as a blanket term as per the Wikipedia definition. The term itself is rather bogus (as proven by this thread), but it transmits the desired idea.

[Instab]

Well, lots of people use it as a blanket term as per the Wikipedia definition. The term itself is rather bogus (as proven by this thread), but it transmits the desired idea.

exactly that idea is what i wonder about. i would never get the idea to name a specific part of my life 'real' or 'unreal'

[Se7Ven]

Well...what truth are you looking for? a personal truth or absolute truth?
it depends on what we mean by “real”?

Look in the mirror ... as we accept our greatness, and grow, our insights will grow and we will find it easier to come to terms with a part of a bigger Truth that can be real.

Sometimes give yourself the permission to be a fool and see things for what they really are and smile ... just recognizing who or what you're like inside will help you become that on the outside.

But i will never say to friends that i don't have time. It is mportant to have the capability of arrangement. The ability to do things at a certain time and to set priorities.

The truth is: organize your real life, make your list and everything on it is listed by priority ... the most important at the top and the least important at the bottom ...

This will give your self-confidence a huge boost ... cheers brothers

[mammamia11]

real life for me means physical contact/ meeting, else it would be a cyber life or what ever u wanna call it