Do you consider the internet a valuable tool for overcoming shyness or an obstacle to it?

[Dave]

I speak with socialising and dating in mind. Have you found talking with other people over the internet has increased your self esteem or social skills, and made IRL success more likely, or has the reverse happened? Is it better to disconnect form the internet altogether?

20 points for best answer (or what ever it is). Thanks.

[Emily]

I met my BF on a site called Myspace severeal years ago.
I was very very shy back then and didn't have the nerve to wak up to my crush and say hi.
For me, the internet helped me connect with others instantly and yes it also helped me increase my self esteem since i met many friends online whom ended up being my friends in real life.

[Yoyo Killa]

that depends on your personality and perspective

(i got nothing but for me that would be a definite no as social sites make your life more closed and sometimes create obstacles in real life)

[Naguru]

It depends on the mentality or outlook. It also depends on the mental sharpness, mental steadiness or mental stability. It primarily requires fertile and strong mind.

There are people who can select medicinal content in any plant or tree. There are people who can convert bad people into good people. There are people who can make use of their word power and mesmerize, hypnotize, etc. There are people who can convert bad situations into good situations. There are people who can select gem of a girl from poor families for marriage alliance, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or region.

[Ice_Tropical.]

It can go either way depending on the type of person you are.

It has been only positive for me in the self esteem/social skill part as it has allowed me to see what others are doing in parts of the world and that its ok too just be me. Opens your eyes really.

[corncrake]

A bit of both, it has given me solace that i'm not the only one out there who struggles with fitting infact there are people who are far worse than me and that makes me slightly better in knowing that. But i would be wary of the dating sites as the temptation is that you could find someone who fills your ideal partner but only to discover them to be a fake or nonexistant. There are people who prey on the lonely on these sites entice them in and take them for everything both money and soul then you find yourself back at square one only more bitter and wary.

It's becoming harder to connect with people anyother way than online these days (facebook,twitter etc) or text replaced the phone ages ago (even texting is now becoming outdated itself) there's like a whole generation growing up who point blankly refuses to acknowledge anyone other than the names on their friend or speed dial lists which is rather scary and blinkered because they miss out on the wider sense of community. I guess that's why its so hard these days to get anyones interest because they just become more self absorbed in themselves rather than reaching out to the person next to them.