http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/06/15/friends-with-benefits-do-facebook-friends-provide-the-same-support-as-those-in-real-life.aspx?GT1=43002
There's an article. Read it. Take it for how you see it.
Some people may find that people with "virtual" friends are odd, but many should (after some thinking) realize that "virtual" friends may be better than no friends at all. Sure, these FaceBook "friends" tend to create more acquaintances than what many would consider "friends", but what it is that most consider to be "real" as opposed to "virtual" impedes some; from some of the more viable applications in life, that is through virtue of "virtual" reality.
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I would agree with the article on the point that virtual friends are better than none at all. But to me there is no significant difference between online friends and real life friends, except for the obvious. I can't go out partying with an online friend who lives on the other side of the planet, but neither can I with a real life friend who's hospitalized with a broken leg.
ReplyDeleteStill, I think that the word "friend" is perhaps inappropriate when applied to online social interaction. I surely wouldn't consider someone I just meet at the supermarket for a friend, so why should i consider someone that commented on a picture on Facebook for a friend?
These people should be called, and viewed, as acquaintances or social contacts, nothing more. This should alleviate some of the problems with "living" online.
I agree with that. But the thing is, it would seem that acquaintance still implies some level of "friendship" hence people try to simplify it by calling it a "friend".
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do find it a bit upsetting that there are still people out there that do not consider online social lives to be "valid" as the individual is not physically present as opposed to "real life" scenarios.
I often find it quite pointless (for lack of a better word) to have someone hang out with you in the "real" world, but not be engaging and participating with what you're doing. I mean why would you bother to even go out with your friends if you're going to be like that?
In that sense, I believe something must be done to make "virtual" socializing a more acceptable form of "real" socializing.
It's sort of like the whole Bluetooth headset fiasco. If you recall, a few years ago when Bluetooth headsets were a new thing, you would see few people using them.
Most people would go, whoa, he's crazy only to notice a blinking light and thinking ok he must be using that new Blue-whatever thing.
And now, look where we've come. We see someone outside without a phone to their ear and talking, we ask ourselves first if he's using Bluetooth and then check.