That's true. But I think it would be wise if those who dislike each other here didn't spend too much time together after the dinner of reconciliation. I predict that fundamental intellectual, philosophical and ethical differences would rise again when the spell of candlelight and cuisine was broken by frank discussion. It happens in 3D, too. Political differences have recently destroyed a friendship in our 3D life.
Though imo shared senses of humor that haven't been perceived here could change that prediction. One of my best friends in 3D is someone whose life-philosophy is in many ways the opposite of mine, but the same things make us laugh and we like the same people, too. I had an SI friend (we PM'd all the time, met in 3D, she met N, we talked on the phone) who was a born-again Christian and a RWExtremist who prayed for me all the time. But we sure did laugh.
Who knows.
My experience, though, is that the people I have liked on SI have been like old friends in 3D, when we met. There were about 2 minutes of getting used to the physical presence, a sort of shyness, then it was just... friends, like on SI.
If it were only for dinners twice a year, it would be no problem, of course. Everybody would be polite. |
