tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35268624.post886229726826509624..comments2024-01-03T04:41:22.547-05:00Comments on Webslinger: Living and Dying OnlineGlen Farrellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12343517452512258227noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35268624.post-86558406376648366962007-10-22T14:25:00.000-04:002007-10-22T14:25:00.000-04:00Thanks for your post. It raises a good point about...Thanks for your post. It raises a good point about not only how the Internet helps keeps us in touch with one another's lives, but also helps foster and maintain a variety of relationship types.<BR/><BR/>There is a lot of criticism of online friendships - that they are trivial and not as valid as offline relationships.<BR/><BR/>Some of this is legit - for instance, people with 300+ "friends" on social network sites. <BR/><BR/>But just because you don't go out for drinks with someone every week or two, doesn't mean you don't care what's going on in their lives. Also, the criticism seems to think of friends at only one level, ie. bosom buddies, but that's not accurate. I have plenty of friends, offline that I just share jokes and laughs with, so why would all my online friends have to be more meaningful than that?<BR/><BR/>Our lives are much different than they were 20, 50, 100 years ago. I believe, the Internet finally provides the means to find and maintain the community that was lost over the years.Glen Farrellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12343517452512258227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35268624.post-15436021910839330052007-10-22T11:15:00.000-04:002007-10-22T11:15:00.000-04:00Couldn't agree more.One of the blogs I read regula...Couldn't agree more.<BR/><BR/>One of the blogs I read regularly is of a colleague in Halifax who is dying of cancer.<BR/><BR/>She and I have worked on national committees together. I respect her deeply, but I wouldn't exactly consider myself a "friend." Even so, we have worked closely together, critiqued each other's work, edited each others' writing, and formed a significant relationship.<BR/><BR/>Since she's in Halifax, and now unable to travel, and since I'm unlikely to be sent to Halifax for a national meeting before she dies, it's extremely unlikely that we'll ever see each other again. Yet I read of her journey daily, and send encouragement at least once a week. I'm probably one of 100's doing that ... and it sure makes a difference to both her and me that this is possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com