Here’s a transcript of an Omegle conversation I just had with a random Turkish stranger. It was interesting. We started off with the topic “are you a hot girl looking for a good time,” and ended up talking about the existence of God and virtue ethics. I’m still wondering just how the hell we got there.

*******

You’re now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

Question to discuss:

are you hot girl looking for a good time

You: No. What are you, a perv?

Stranger: OOOH YEAH

You: Ooooh, things just got interesting…

Stranger: what would you do to me?

Stranger: cause ive been a naughty girl

You: I’ll type my text into this box so intensely you’re gonna feel it rushing up within your blood stream.

You: Gahhhhhhhasdfasdfasdfasdfasndlfkasdnflasdknaf

Stranger: that punishes me how?

Stranger: why not spank me or something

You: *spank*

You: !

You: There I did it.

Stranger: btw are you a bot or something?

You: Wooo

Stranger: no mistakes

Stranger: (spelling)

You: Here’s a mistkae

You: Haha

You: Just because I can type without spelling errors doesn’t make me a bot!

You: :))

Stranger: this is how you have fun with a horny girl then?

You: Why? Are you a horny girl?

You: How does typing into a text box make people horny anyway?

You: That entire concept just escapes me.

Stranger: no im acting as one (not a great job at it) so that the spy is satisfied

Stranger: (not *doing a great job at it)

You: Heeey I see what you did there.

You: Very clever

You: *clap*

Stranger: oh you and your snappy jokes

You: Grazzie. *bows*

Stranger: seriously how old are you?

You: 21

You: Turning 22 though next week

You: Gah I’m old.

You: And you?

Stranger: 16…

Stranger: you

Stranger: talk older than you are

You: Really? Thank you! :D

Stranger: :D

Stranger: btw how does drinking legally feel?

You: Well, from where I’m from, they’re not really strict with the alcohol ban for those under 18 (yes, 18’s the legal drinking age over here). So it’s pretty much the same.

You: I drank my first beer at 13, and no one really stopped me.

Stranger: its 18 here as well

Stranger: where are u from?

You: The Philippines. And you?

Stranger: Turkey

You: Hey that’s cool. Turkey seems like an awesome place.

You: It’s like where the East and West meet.

You: Is that true?

Stranger: yes it is and i live in the city where they meet (Istanbul) and my knowledge about philippines will probably crack you up

You: !!!

Stranger: my father married with a girl from your country in order to stop serving for the military because he thought their cause wasnt just and he had served enough for şt

Stranger: *it

Stranger: and i know that it has a bunch of islands and thats about it

Stranger: tell me has your country been invaded before or during the second world war?

You: By the Japanese, yes. Although we were under the Americans then.

You: And the Americans came right after the Spaniards conquered us.

You: So you can probably tell we’re a very confused race. And it would be really hard nowadays to define what a true Filipino is.

Stranger: :D cool :D

Stranger: are you in college right now?

You: Yup, although I’m graduating in a few months.

You: (boo. :( )

Stranger: what are you studying?

You: Psychology.

Stranger: great major

Stranger: how is it?

You: It’s great. I’m reading your mind right now, if you wanna know.

Stranger: and which universtiy do you attend?

Stranger: and i just made sense of what you were saying most of the time

You: The University of the Philippines. :)

Stranger: thats creative i gotta say

Stranger: :D

Stranger: so, are you doing a research or somethin in Omegle?

You: No. :))

You: Just plain bored.

You: And I like messing with people.

Stranger: hmm i think a question like “how does chatting anonymously effect …. of the people” would be a great one for a research in psychology

You: Haha.

Stranger: …

Stranger: how do you do so?

Stranger: tell the ones you did to me as well just in case if i missed any

You: There’s actually a new branch in Psychology called cyberpsych. Although I haven’t taken classes on it yet.

You: Wait. What do you mean the “ones I did to you”?

Stranger: things you did to mess with me

You: Just so you know, I’m not thinking of you as some psychology experiment or something. :))

Stranger: or are you saying it to make me feel more comfortable talking to you? :D

You: Hey. I didn’t think of that. :))

Stranger: ill beileve in that

You: Anyway, this was one of the Omegle conversations that actually lasted. People keep disconnecting. :(

Stranger: :D so your tactics didnt work on me

You: Haha what “tactics”? My word of honor: I’m just a bored internet user who’s trying out Omegle for the first time just to see why people keep talking about it. :D

Stranger: first time?

Stranger: really?

You: Yup. Haha.

Stranger: :D i remember the time when we asked our computer teacher to try this out

Stranger: after someone called him “dipshit” he closed it down :D

You: Awww, I feel for him. But that is funny. :))

You: You in high school?

Stranger: yes

You: What year?

Stranger: 3rd year after next year im off proably to USA to study

You: Hey that’s great! And you’re gonna be there until forever?

Stranger: i wish, though i might return when im old

You: I just realized. It’s not only in my country where going to the USA is like the biggest dream one can have.

Stranger: since in turkey there is an increase in religion and things against my beliefs and a decrease in the people who support my belifs its probably better off that way

You: What do you mean by your belief? What’s your religion, if it’s okay to ask?

Stranger: im an atheist and there is a party who dominates which is strictly religious, and the people of my race are actually not liked here usually although no one says it out loud

You: Would that be a Muslim group?

Stranger: which group?

You: That party that’s dominating.

You: (Wow, things just got more political in this conversation)

Stranger: they use religion and the groups they create are religious and this causes people who are against the atheists to increase (by a lot as well) (and yes i agree)

You: Just so you know, I’m Catholic. But I still believe people can’t be forced to swallow a belief that they don’t wanna swallow. I still believe in respecting the freedom of consciences.

Stranger: well i wish more people would think the same way… i mean i dont go around swearing at jews, muslims or christians whereas they do it to me and they try to convert me.. i just dont get it.. why does this happen (i want to learn the perspective of a psychologist in this topic)

You: To be optimistic about things, I think people just have this innate desire to let others see the “truths” they’re seeing. It’s like you’re a scientist who just discovered a planet and you’re eager to let others know of it. Which essentially, isn’t a bad thing.

You: But I guess in their eagerness, some people just go overboard and downright impose their beliefs on others.

Stranger: so what is the truth you are actually seeing?

You: (I wasn’t expecting to go philosophical on Omegle! Haha)

You: Wait, are you actually asking me what my religious beliefs are?

Stranger: in a way yes

Stranger: but the real question is

Stranger: what makes you believe in it?

Stranger: what part of it

Stranger: and if you wouldnt like to answer this question just say so

You: Nah it’s fine. :)

You: Well first off, I think it does make sense to believe that there’s a God who created the universe. I find it impossible to believe that the Universe came out of Nothing.

Stranger: well there isnt a fact that contradicts this i would agree

You: And also, I find it impossible to believe that things just came to be by random chance, without any Creator having any hand in it. For instance, why does music exist and why does it affect us so greatly? How come man can contemplate on his life and his place in the universe? And why is the universe ordered so perfectly, that in every tiny cell, there exist so many complex functions that really just couldn’t come to be by random chance?

You: Well those are my thoughts on it. Though it’s your decision if you accept it or not. :)

Stranger: i dont agree this one but arguing wont bring us anywhere so i wont thank you for sharing your opnions with me

Stranger: may i ask another question?

You: Sure.

You: I find it funny though how this all sprung up from “are you a hot girl looking for a good time”

Stranger: amongst all the other religions which give you answers to your questşons why be a catholic? and yes it is funny for me as well

Stranger: and please consider that after every question of mine a sentence that says “only answer if its okay for you”

You: I won’t elaborate, cause it would take us forever if I discussed every point, but mainly, I think that the belief in God and the Catholic Dogma makes perfect philosophical sense (it’s consistent with the thoughts of Plato and Aristotle, for one). And I honesty find no stain of error in it.

Stranger: ok

Stranger: so coming from this I find that you agree with Plato and Aristotle and you care about their thoughts, which one of their thoughts would you think is the one that effects you the most/ you agree the most with? (choose one question or two its up to you :D)

Stranger: or you might choose to ask me a question instead

Stranger: :D

You: Mostly their views on virtue ethics. That man needs to practice virtue in order to perfect his nature.

You: You can ask something a bit lighter if you find this current subject a bit too heavy already. :)) But I don’t mind if you insist on talking about something serious.

You: :D

Stranger: you choose the flow of this

Stranger: and by virtue you mean what exactly?

Stranger: the ethical beliefs or doing things?

You: By virtues I mean things like patience, truthfulness, charity, et cetera. Although you don’t really need to be religious to be a virtuous person.

Stranger: I think that religion tries to help people get these virtues by telling them its their purpose of life and a higher being wants them to do it, but i still value virtue as well i think it what makes a person who he should be (im not pointing out that there is a point in living, just how a person be for me and my good) (i wouldnt like to be considered a self-centered person after this though what i saşid implies it.. its hard to tell)

You: (Just so you know, I’ll be saving this conversation. The way it flowed was really interesting. So thank you for a great discussion!)

Stranger: :D thanks it was a great experience for me as well

Stranger: i will have to go eat right now

You: I’m glad you think that way. It really shouldn’t be controversial to think that people should be virtuous. There are some people who view living as “doing whatever I goddamn please”

Stranger: i would agree

Stranger: im saving this discussion and ill be off bye and thanks again

Stranger: :)

You: Alright! :D

You: Thanks too!