I would be interested to know people's thoughts on this.

Not so long ago, before the internet, to indulge in a Real Vampire lifestyle one would have to travel far and wide to find like-minded individuals. Even in big cities it would be difficult. Coming from a decade when AIDS was the bogeyman everyone feared the stigma and predjudices were intense.

I would like to know what your thoughts are on the role of the Internet in Real vampire Culture. Would you have been able to express your Real vampire identity without it? Do you feel the Internet perpetuates the culture - or would your nature always have existed? Have you found adequate support on the internet or are prejudices just the same? Has the internet educated you in a helpful way, or have you had unpleasant encounters through it? If there were no internet tomorrow, would your life be affected much? Is your persona on the internet the same as who you are in real life, or does it make it easier to be 'larger than life' here?

Although I am interested in Real Vampire opinions, I'm sure we all have a view on this. As always, keep disagreements as disagreements, and not flames.

You know, come to think of it, I had friends who liked vampire ideals and the like but I never expressed myself. If the internet hadn't been here, I think I may not have learned some things, like certain kinds of humor, but my ideas on life wouldn't have been different. I think that I have both learned and been hurt by the internet too. I have had the people call my house because I stood up for myself and at the same time, I have had many different legends and biographys revealed. I would survive if the internet died tommorow. I would just be a little more lonely.

with all good things, there is always a shadow. You design planes, you create a threat to human life. The internet has helped alot, and hurt too. I think that by exposing the vampire culture more, it hurt us. It is much easier to be ridiculed now than it was when it was something no one really knew about, and were open minded enough to find out. At the same time, it gave me the oppurtunity to find out that there were actually other people that had a need to steal other peoples life energy to keep myself growing. That was pretty kool.

Exactly, so when you have a new invention there is always a problem. I think that most people would have a bigger problem though when the invention was taken away.

I am glad that we have an internet connection now but we are more exposed. without the internet though I don't think I would have ever learned and expressed as much as I have now. but just because I am not seeing people face to face does not mean I am lying about my identity or trying to be someone I am not. that would go against all I stand for.