Enemy of Entropy
Archive for October 2008
What’s an “internet wife” anyway?
Police allege man murdered by internet wife’s ex-husband
It’s the headline that bothers me. Just at a glance, I’d think that the murder victim had an online-only relationship with his “internet wife,” like those people whose MMORPG characters or Second Life avatars get “married.” But, no, he met the woman on the internet, and married her in reality after her divorce from the previous husband was final.1
I’ve seen people refer to those who meet online and have a meat-world relationship this way before, but it’s annoying. If you meet someone on the internet, and the two of you marry, is that woman an “internet wife” and that man an “internet husband” forever?
By that logic, people should have bar, school, church, and gym spouses too, yes? My mother has a baseball game husband. My sister has a golf course husband. I think my brother met his wife at work, so she’s his work wife.
Now, if I thought people would follow this naming convention to its logical conclusion, and have multiple spouses, it wouldn’t be quite as annoying. Somehow, though, I doubt that brother is going to acquire a rugby wife or some such.2
Anyway, the headline should have read something like “Police allege man shot by wife’s jealous ex-husband” (I’d prefer active voice, but it seems they don’t).
1 No details are given as to timing, or whether she left for the new guy.
2 Wait, do women play rugby? I’ve never met one who did. Hmmm.
