In his article, Ben Quinn of The Guardian refers to a study claiming that “most users of social networking sites have more friends in cyberspace than reality”. It even says that the average person has double the amount of online friends than physical ones and that people tend to be more open and honest with their friends in cyberspace than their real-life friends.
Does this mean social networks provide for a new quality of friends? Does this mean we need to redefine our personal notion of what a real friend is to us? Will one day the sheer number of online friends one has been able to gather count more than less than a handful of real good friends that are ready to be physically there when you really need them?
Yes, I agree that the world wide web may help facilitate “friendships” for those amongst us who are isolated due to illness or other reasons and that it may foster a sense of social connection. But will the internet be able to replace a real friend who is there for us in dire times of need? Will it replace a friend who stands by us with his deeds rather than words of wisdom or “like it” comments?
Even though it may be possible to develop deep and meaningful connections with people that I have never met, I will continue to nurture my real-life friends and be physically there for them when they need me and I can only hope that they will do the same.
The article may be found at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/09/social-network-users-friends-online
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