Comments on: Friendship in a Web 2.0 World – How Social Networks Have Redefined Friendship

By: Friend Adder Elite

Friend Adder Elite — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:39:15 +0000

Very well said, this is a must read to people who are active in social networking, nowadays virtual friendship is as common as the term “friendship” that we’re all used to.

By: lorna

lorna — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:28:00 +0000

Yes Vanessa,

It’s hard to balance online social activity and real-life social activity as there’s only enough time in the day. I just did a relationship workshop this weekend where women got to bathe in the compliments of authentic male appreciation. Just receiving another’s undivided attention, touch, and emotional support was nourishing and uplifting. Far more than what pixels can convey.

Yes, I to am a sensualist. I certainly would pick a real live shoulder rub over online sex any day.

By: Vanessa Silva

Vanessa Silva — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:38:17 +0000

Great essay, Lorna! Funny that because I only knew you on the flesh-and-bone world and now feel that there is a whole other layer to our friendship – the virtual one.
Every once in a while I compare my number of tribe friends to the number that other people have in my community, and I hate to say that often i feel I am loosing on the head count. That always leads me to wonder about how do they do that, how can they keep so many ‘friendships’ going. It almost feels like the third wave of feminine liberation to me: we first took care of family, then we got the right to work out of the house, now we have accumulated the duties of nurturing family, kicking ass at work, and cultivating a whole virtual community and social life. Can be overwhelming at times. Personally, I think of myself as a sensualist, and for that, I need real human interaction. It is not enough for me to catch up with friends by text messaging, blogging, or email. I need a one-on-one dinner date, a drink or perhaps an urban hike around Dolores park. That takes time, and it steals time from my blogging, or updating my Flickr albuns. But that is my choice, to be an old-fashioned modern woman and keep both a LinkedIn profile and a pencil and paper pen-pal.

By: lorna

lorna — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:42:52 +0000

Interesting project, Biff. Good luck with addressing peopleâ€™s desire for closeness between friends, family and acquaintances with Open Messaging.

By: Biff

Biff — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:18:23 +0000

Hi Lorna,

Without a doubt one of the most thought out and well written posts on this subject that I have yet read. Your definition of a true friend is spot on. Someone who will BE THERE for you, and you for them.

Online, it is hard to define ‘friend’. I would say that a better word would be ‘contact’…although that seems a little cold.

We here at Naked have been thinking about how to make online socialising more representative of offline life, and came up with Open Messaging (if you are interested in reading about it just follow the URL in the title of this comment, I write about it there.)

I think a lot of what is happening is down to the sheer flow of people and information into this new world of public socialising. The waters are bubbling and there’s big waves. I can’t wait to see what the landscape looks like when it’s calmed down a little, and how many people we call ‘friends’ then…

Cheers,

~biff~

By: san

san — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 10:56:03 +0000

great post – thanks for the thoughts – i think true friends are true friends when u are able to maintain ur frienship both on and offline. i have few – not many. and i’m treasuring them.

By: Patty Nason

Patty Nason — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 23:06:58 +0000

Woof! This is a great post on a subject I’m really familiar with, and agree with in many ways. I often get burned out on social networking and all of the profiles to manage! I work for Dogster, and I think the thing that’s great about social networking is the potential to meet people and create friendships with them around shared interests. Many of our members meet up in person with their dogs, and create real friendships. I think when social networking can be used as a tool to find new friends that you could meet in person, then it’s great – since those are people you wouldn’t have likely met without the tool.

Thanks for mentioning us, and for your thoughtful post!

Woof!

By: Brian Caldwell

Brian Caldwell — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:02:15 +0000

additional words cannot do justice as a reply to this fantastic wording of the feelings many people are having regarding the state of friendship in 2007.

well said lorna, if either of us drops dead tonight we can rest easy.

- your friend Brian