I think it is too hard to compare and contrast talking to people on the internet with having friends in real life? In real life there are faces to read and tones of voice, etc. as to why someone won't continue to talk to us/befriend us but on the internet there's none of that. I always write really long, involved posts and emails and, eventually, I suspect people get worn down by all that, all the reading? That doesn't mean they don't like me (or even that I should write less :-) but when one doesn't get responses as one "thinks" one should or would like, it's easy to equate other's needs of the moment as being comments about one's self?

You ask for PMs back and forth but often people don't have the time/inclination to spend that kind of time online with one "thing". Say it takes me 5 minutes to write this post; I only have a certain amount of time online or that I want to spend in any one "place" and if, every day, I were to come here, felt I had to talk to this one person before I could do anything else, that could feel burdensome over time. If I lose interest in this site for awhile or just change the percentage of time I spend here; I wouldn't be able to read very much and write to others, etc.

Where do you go to meet people in real life? Do you belong to interest groups or go to school/classes or anything? Most of my friends are long distance to me and I only see them once in a while. Friends in real life are both easier and harder to keep up with because if one makes a good friend and has a good relationship, one can just know that in the back of one's mind. I have a good friend who I no longer see and only occasionally "talk to" on Facebook. We were real life friends for 10-15 years and that carries us forward. I "know" her so know if I had to, I could call/write/contact her in reality and she'd be here for me. Most of my real life friends are that way (and many of my relatives).

The internet is more casual for friendships. I use it to keep in touch with the "real" friends and relatives I have. How long an internet friendship lasts is much less too because usually the "interest" that sparks it can die out in one or another of the people. I go to several other sites each day besides this one and I have several sites of my own and "work" on the Internet. I have maybe 50 "acquaintances" that I became friendly with for a brief while and still have their addresses but only 3-5 I am "friends" with and correspond with more often.

I don't think one can stay "interested" in any one subject on the Internet. The subjects are either too big or too small. Think about this site and the variety which works against maintaining intensity in any one aspect but then think of this post and how after two or three exchanges it might be finished.

Some of your problem may just be in not recognizing the ebb and flow of your and others' interests?