Today a FB friend of mine posted this:
Right after she posted it a lot of the people she tagged commented, reminiscing about back when we all first "met" and talking about what was going on in their personal lives at the time and how it helped to have so many online friends to talk to.
My personal life was not especially difficult at the time but I still think that experience--constantly debating and thereby becoming good friends with so many people online--really shaped all of my 20s.
1. I learned a whole lot about certain political topics--way, way more than I would've known had I not debated them.
2. I learned about how my ideological opponents can be actually really lovely people who I get along with fine.
3. I made friendships that have lasted longer than almost any of the friendships I've made IRL have lasted.
Moreover they are friendships that aren't affected when any of us move or graduate or change jobs, because the online nature of the friendships stays the same. That stability is really nice and probably a major reason these friendships have lasted so long.
Anyway, it was heartwarming and kind of delightful to watch everyone happily commenting under that status. Good friends.
Such an interesting new dimension for friendships that I never would've dreamed of prior to internet and social media. I like online friendships (and the IRL friendships that are, in part, maintained online) because of my need to stay connected with people. I have seen some complain that us online social media users want attention or are "addicted to getting likes". And while that may be true for some, I think the accusers are missing the benefit of online friendships for obtaining, maintaining, and sometimes improving connections to others, as well as learning new things! :)
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