Posts on Oprano get me thinking quite often, but I've really been thinking about what Colin said - about how we don't talk to our neighbors, aren't involved in the community... how we have detatched in a way, and whether or not the Internet has influenced this new way of "being."
As I talked with friends and colleagues via IM/email/phone - and heard my kids talking about their various friends online this week I realized something. Even though our online friendships might not be "real life" ones with people next door, involving us in our local communities - many of these relationships have a richness and depth that "real life" ones sometimes just can't support.
You might wave hello to a neighbor that you share a fence with, might even have them over or your kids might play together regularly - but how MUCH of a relationship do you really have with them? I have fond memories of my neighborhood as a kid - but the people that lived there were "supporting actors" on my stage of life - not main characters. The main characters lived on other streets, in other cities and sometimes in other countries. In many ways, they were part of the scenery.
Friends who are going through personal trials and need to voice their fears or worries - things they might not have said to me over the phone, or been able to discuss face-to-face without fear of breaking down completely... they are able to accomplish this online via IM, email or private chat. They can confide, confess, talk "out loud" to someone who is listening and isn't personally involved, won't judge (most times - lol) and will support... they can go to chat rooms and boards to meet like-minded people and discuss topics/issues that family and neighbors might not necessary appreciate... for every negative - there IS a positive.
Anyway... just wanted to share that here since that post is what got me thinking about it... Change is good. This might be good too.
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03-01-2005
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