I think that we are basically describing the same problem from different angles. In the end the problem is that many people have a difficult time inventing themselves in a real personal interaction with someone where the only (or mostly) only source of communications is text. If you want to same lack of imagination or lack of empathy... frankly I think both are correct from different angles. Ive witnessed other people make it work and have a wonderful emotional relationship that starts online. The difference seems IMO and experience to effort. Many people dont want to put in much effort. In many cases that is a common denominator why people look for a relationship online. They dont want to go through the heart ache and effort to look for that rare person locally...
Why do some struggle and others don’t? If it’s an issue of effort, what explains that? Is it not more likely that those that can’t communicate effectively and with empathy online probably suffer the same deficits in the ‘real world’?
I’ve always believed that written communication reveals our core essence in some ways. There really isn’t anywhere to hide, no nonverbal information that can be gaslighted or misconstrued. Is it possible that some people primarily communicate via those means, and are lost when that doesn’t translate across into written words? Does writing make the antisocial and narcissistic players of our world more readily identifiable, and if so does this even actually matter?
Sorry for the big question dump, but I haven’t got answers for this.