subject: What Can We Learn From Cyberspace? [print this page] Chat corners can come in every color and variety, from the sadistic and macabre psychopaths to poets aspiring to weaves tales of beauty and song solely for the benefit of their own cozy group. A couple of things are notable. In chat situations, rather than getting out of hand, it seems people are actually treated more generously than they might be in the real world. And as for those whose predilections may run into the frightful and disturbing, it is comforting to know that these people, though they may have serious emotional troubles, rarely act in real life like the characters they portray in their dungeon rooms. Chat rooms offer us a chance for role play, fantasy, and drama. I believe that in the future it's going to be wild ride for those who want it. And for the more mainstream of us, distance is going to matter less and less in relation to friendships.
