Monday 4 October 2010

what, no friends

A couple of days ago one of my daughters, in the heat of an arguement, told me that I spent all my time on the internet and that I didn't have any real friends, just internet ones.
To a large extent she is right in that I don't have friends who I meet with and stuff but I do take issue with her making internet and real friend mutually exclusive.
I have known some of my internet friends for about 7 years now and they probably know things about me that no-one else does. If I was looking for someone I could trust then I think (with very few exceptions) I would be looking to the computer.
I'm not saying that I have a lot of internet friends in the real sense but there are a few I know well and have done for quite a while and others who I have met more recently but are showing promise. I used to give my trust easily but I think I am wiser now and certainly more vulnerable so I proceed with caution and only a handful of people in this world know the real me.

3 comments:

Kitty said...

This week on the Colbert Report a movie director of some renown was explaining why he isn't on Facebook. He said, "Internet socialization is to socialization as reality tv is to reality."

I've been thinking about this. He has a point, in a sense. It's come to my attention this summer that knowing someone online and actually being in her presence a great deal are far and away different things.

I also think he's wrong, and displaying that weird prejudice that people online are somehow "not real" and the things we say to (and even do with) each other are virtual, also "not real." It would be fun to go out for a drink with people I've not met, friends half way around the world, but it would also be tiring, for me. Conversations as we are interested in having them, and conversations as opposed to joking together in a bar, have worth. Are real. Are friendship.

Life is fleeting. Enjoy any happiness that comes your way. :-)

KB said...

Well you know my situation. I trusted many people in 'real', as they say, life and they abandoned me. I may not have met many of my online friends face to face but you have all supported me and stood by me. Think that says it all really.

KB said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family x