Conclusion: "Future of Friendship"

Among my most cherished memories are the letters my husband and I use to exchange in the early years of our marriage. Because we were thousands of miles apart, the most efficient and economical way of communicating was through letters (I still have them all). There were no instant messaging, emails or any social networking sites then. Our only electronically means of communication was the telephone and those telephone calls were not that cheap. I remember loosing contact with most of my childhood and school friends who had moved away. They became just memories. Even though we sometimes promise to keep in touch, they all tend to fade away after a few letters . robles.callutheran.edu/~tierney/tradfri.html Those indeed were the days.

This era is quite different. The innovation of the Internet and mushrooming of social network sites have changed the dynamics of relationships thus friendships. In this past weeks as we have explored the concept of the “Future of friendship”, We have seen how friendship as we know it have evolved into cyber relationships. We have explored the effectiveness of online communication, we have questioned the trust issues and weigh the risks involved and we have questioned the future of online friendship in 2020 and beyond. Where have our quest taken us? We all have different views concerning this 21st century phenomenon yet we all have come to a consensus that what is happening now on these social media networks is just a tip of the iceberg - the “future of online friendships” is about to move to a new dimension it is just a matter of time. http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/25079/?a=f

What have we learnt or gained from this blog? If my friends will agree, we have learnt that traditional or online"friendship" might differ on so many levels but a friend is some one who is always there for you, online or offline. For us four, I hope the bond of friendship that we have form might carry us to 2020, God willing.

Conclusion : My Journey from Social Media-Eek to Social Media-Geek

This course has taught me plenty about the evolution of Web 2.0 and the effects it has on our society. A very interesting book, which we used as our text for this class, is Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom. Authors Matthew Fraser and Soumitra Dutta explain how social networking is changing the world we live in, and focus on the shift in our identities, status and power.

Many other issues are examined in this class, but the most important concept I have learned, is that of online friendships. I was previously of the opinion that online relationships were neither rewarding or successful; that there was nothing beneficial to gain from them. However, I have since been convinced that I was wrong. In my research, I have come across numerous success stories about friendships and relationships.

The one that affected me the most is the story of Lina, Yul, Collette and Mel. Four women from different backgrounds and belief systems joined a group for an online school project. Sound familiar?
I "met" these wonderful women barely seven weeks ago, and am amazed at the amount of respect and admiration I have for them already. They are intelligent and reliable ladies who each have their own great and unique sense of humour. I believe that our online connection with each other will continue to grow and flourish long after this class is completed.

Mashable is an online social media guide that provides tips to making to the most of your relationships.
I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to connect with such great women. I would love to hear your stories about an online friendship or relationship you have had, whether it was a positive experience or not. Do you think we can create meaningful relationships with someone we have not met face-to-face? Please share your thoughts.

Future of Friendship 2020: Future of Online Friends

The future of friendship through web 2.0 may be difficult to predict, yet it is clear that something great is brewing around the future of the internet. I believe everyone needs at least one best friend to talk to and confide in either face to face or through social media networking. It is important to the well being of the society when you have friends outside the family whom you can share ideas with . http://www.futurist.com/articles-archive/society-and-culture/the-future-of-friendship/.
Hopefully, by 2020 the activities, like using the internet to enjoy the opportunities and interaction would be made possible and get better. Friendship online would be more secured leading the way to opportunities we never knew existed.
As Future Internet 2020 explains http://www.future-internet.eu/fileadmin/documents/reports/FI_Panel_Report_v3.1_Final.pdf. We have connectivity today with our friends but it is not everywhere. We have devices but they do not talk to each other. By 2020, the internet “will be both laid out as public infrastures and dynamically created by the objects connecting to one another”.
If we look at how friendship has come to this far through the web then we should keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best in 2020. I believe from the way technology is advancing, web 2.0 will take us to the next level where there will be new ways of interacting, new ways of living and new ways to be entertained. So where do you think online friendship is taking us to?

Future of Friendship 2020 : Hologram Communication

Online friendship might not be so scary or intimidating in the future if hologram communication can be developed for house hold use. What is hologram communication? To put it simply it is a device that allows people to communicate in virtual reality presenting the person in a specific location in 3D and in live recording. Please see this YouTube video to see what it might look like http://www.break.com/usercontent/2009/6/amazing-hologram-technology-755405.html. Do not be surprised that this might be a possibility before the year 2020 in people’s homes. Individuals would be able to have a virtual communication in 3 D live and it would be great if people could do this to facilitate friendship online. When CNN demonstrated this in 2008 it was mind bugling and so we should not be surprised if this becomes a reality in online friendship of the future. With this type of technology the possibilities could be endless in what people could achieve with online friendship. Just Imagine. http://gadgets.softpedia.com/news/Live-Hologram-Communication-to-Become-Reality-within-5-Years-1233-01.html
By Collette

Future of Friendship in 2020

Generally, we tend to be afraid of that which we are unsure of, and reluctant to let go of what we are accustomed to. I share this nervousness, but am also excited to see where technology will take us in the future.

I wonder, if some day we will be able to get out of bed, put on our virtual suits (including helmets and goggles), and step into a new reality. In this world, we will live as we do now, but without the boundaries of distance or language. We will experience the everyday life that we now live without leaving our homes. Maybe a little far fetched, and not necessarily something to look forward to, but who knows where technology will lead us?
The future of friendship, and reality itself is something we just have to wait and wonder about.
Microsoft created a short video which illustrates an ideal picture of our future of communication; where we are all united and connected through the touch of a button.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQu5zRmqa_E&feature=related
Of course, you have to take into consideration who produced this video, and what motives may be behind the creation. Microsoft is a major company that stands to gain a lot of money if the future continues to involve innovations in technology.

Whether the future of technology has a negative or positive impact on friendship, we will not know until that time comes. Until then, we should take advantage of the benefits that instant communication has to offer and enjoy the now. Ezine Articles offers advice on how "to use technologies to enhance your relationships".


Do you ever wonder where the future of friendship lies? Is a new age of friendship something you welcome or are concerned about?

By:Melanie

Future of Friendship: Future of Online Friends 2020 and Beyond

With the explosion of social media sites, would we say we have reached the pinnacle of virtual communication or we have just clipped the tip of the ice berg? What more does technology have to offer when it comes to online communication and cyber friendships in 2020 and beyond?
I believe technology has a lot in store for us. With the creation of the Video Instant Messaging, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpoNxXgUpsU online friendship is advancing to the point that face to face communications can be possible, thus blurring the line between real world and virtual world friends.

MOCOM 2020 .com has a presentation of how innovations have evolved from the 20th century and is moving fast towards 2020 and how this has and will affect global communication . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FScddkTMlTc&feature=related These new gadgets are being designed in such a way that virtually the world will have no boundaries, and that “what we think is impossible now, will come to pass” (Rainer Wong, 2007). Some believe that in the future there will be no language barrier in communication. For one’s words will be easily translated into the language of the receiver. For instance, people with no knowledge of the English word would have their messages translated into their own native language. Another concept is that you can virtually appear before your friends without moving from your house.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/224448/the_internet_and_its_future_what_will...

As technology advances towards 2020 online friendships will become much easier, convenient and exciting. A newer breed of social media lites is waiting to invade the virtual world.

Security : Stolen Identity

Security - In as little as ten years ago it was difficult for someone to find information about you on the internet and misuse the information but nowadays people are putting a lot more information about themselves online risking the dangers of security breach http://www.buzzle.com/articles/security-issues-on-social-network-websites.html. The information that people give in the quest to establish online relationships can prove to be very dangerous and can lead to people putting themselves at serious risk of exploitation. For example, in the case of stolen identities people can steal somebody's id and use it to obtain a loan, credit card, mortgage and use it to use it. And this can ruin the person's credit http://www.pc1news.com/news/0423/social-networking-sites-could-be-identity-theft-traps.html. So if people want to start an online friendship they might be scared that if they provide personal information regarding themselves it might be used for dubious purposes. It is believed that scammers can find someone's password from simple information like pet's name or kid's name. So how can one really feel secured that the information that they provided for the sake of establishing friendship will not be used for other purposes other than friendsip? I am careful not to provide such information online but at the same time I could get carried away if I was communicating with someone and I wanted the person to know more about me and some of my experiences. It is still a haunting thought that someone out there on the web such as a predator that is watching people waiting for the opportunity to strike.

By Collette

Security: Staying safe online

The world has never been free of perverts and malevolent people. But with the advent of the internet, social networks have become the new hunting grounds where these distorted minds seek out the vulnerable to prey on. How many times have we heard reports of adults engage in luring youngsters on the internet to satisfy their perverted souls? Why has this become so rampant? These despicable predators take advantage of the fact that many children have access to the computer, lots of teens are said to spend insurmountable time online and those who are lonely can easily fall prey to any “friendly” chat. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/16/f-luring.html
There are other stories of serial killers actually using the chat rooms to lure their victims. John Robinson is said to be the first internet serial killer. He seduced and victimized women he met online. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/john_robinson/index.html
Take a look at a Dateline NBC presentation To Catch a Predator, hosted by Chris Hansen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7ACJ4Acddc&feature=related . These perverts of all walks of life choose the social media networks as their playing field and try to befriend young girls to have sex with them.
We all must be vigilant and wary of the dangers the networks can present. Taking precaution in reducing these security risks is paramount. This website have a list of tips that we all should take a look at and educate others on the wicked spun of "webs" on the net. http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST06-003.html

Security: Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking is when a person uses a means of the internet or any electonic means to follow and pursue someone online. The stalkers invade people's privacy and watch every move of theirs. The internet and other telecommunication technologies are promoting advances in virtually every aspect of society and every corner of the globe. Through this, old friends are connected and interaction take place.

Jaishankar and Uma Sankary's link on cyberstalking
http://www.erces.com/journal/articles/archives/volume2/v03/v02.htm explains that, cyberstalking usually occurs with women being the targets. It also explains the types of stalkers, what motivates stalking: through sexual harrassment, obsession for love, revenge and hate, and finally ego and power tips.

Due to the anonimity the internet provides, it is difficult to establish trust with a person you have only interacted with on the internet. How would you know the people viewing your personal profile on these social networking sites are genuine? We should be careful of the personal information we put online. Information provided should be confidential because some people can pretend to be friends but they may be liars. I believe no one wants to be friends with a liar. This link is interesting to view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qKOhx7nhVw It gives you an idea about how dangerous people could be on the internet and can caution us about our trust level. Anyone who has stories about cyberstalking is welcomed to share.

Communication: Global Connections

The evolution of Web 2.0 has enabled us to converse with millions of people around the globe. With the touch of a button, we can instantly connect with someone in Japan, Iceland, or anyone in between. This is an incredible feat considering before the explosion of instant messaging, it would have taken weeks to carry on the same conversation via traditional mail.
We are able to make aquantences, friends and business partners online, and speak with them without ever leaving our homes of offices. This proves especially convenient for corporations because it is economical and time-saving. These businesses no longer need to fly across country in order to discuss plans, and can make decisions with their partners online much quicker than meeting in person.
However, not all business owners are interested in using social media networking to benefit their organizations. This may be because they are unsure of how to manipulate their resources. Constant Contact is a website that provides operators with advise on promoting their business online. There are many networking options available, including Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and Webinars. This site talks an owner through setting up these accounts and gives tips regarding their usefullness.
Content Manager is another useful website which highlights the benefits of utilizing technology in a corporate environment.
I am of the opinion that the internet is a valuable resource for both professional and personal gain, and with the proper training I believe that everyone can benefit from it.
Now, I ask, if you can use social networking to create a more successful business, why wouldn't you?

Communication: Quality or Quantity?

Human beings have always been social creatures. Friendships and relationship building has always been very important to us and life is always lonesome for those with little or no friends.
As the world evolves so have friendship as we know it. We live in an era where everything is a click or touch away. Our social ventures are played on the tube daily and for most of us our very “best” friends live just a click away. Welcome to Web 2.0, which has open many avenues or medium; emails, instant messaging, social networking etc. which fosters “friendships”.http://www.thefriendshipblog.com/blog/evolution-friendship-digital-age

But friendship as we know it is not the same. Social etiquettes for face-to-face relationships do not necessary apply to digital or online friendships. Making and maintaining friends has always taken some efforts on both sides. Unlike the digital world where friendships can be established in shorter periods of time, real world friends take a long period of time to cultivate and maintain. In the virtual world commitment to the relationship is not warranted -with the same “click” you used to get those friends you can click them off your list- un-friend them and they can also click you off their list. http://www.allanbesselink.com/rhubarb/407-friendship-new-meaning-in-the-digital-age

However, friendship in the digital world is not all that negative. Web 2.0 has expanded the scope of friendship for many people. Lots of these friends may not be close, but they are certainly rich sources of valuable information. There are many people who have made meaningful personal relationships online. People are connecting with others who have the same interests. For those who need a constant entourage of friends, social media is the perfect vehicle in obtaining that. To some, being able to get in touch on a daily basis without the added headache of planning events, getting all geared up or just the fear of being vulnerable to others, online friends are the best.

Personally, I am not too fond of online friendship. Being of the old school. I enjoy seeing and talking to my friends face-to face. My online connections are only to those “buddies” that I can’t see on day to day bases. I must admit though, I am a bit wary of online friendships. How can you tell if the person on the other side of the tube is who he/she says they are? Like Mark Vernon alluded on his blog – it is an issue of trust.http://www.markvernon.com/friendshiponline/dotclear/index.php?post/2007/09/27/725-tonight-friendship-in-the-digital-age-ica

Communication :The Most Effective Way To Communicate Online

When building a friendship online it is important to communicate often so that this can lead to a meaningful relationship. When there is open communication this can lead to trusting and sharing so that the relationship can be enjoyed by both parties. There are several ways of communicating online such as emailing, instant messaging, tweeting, blogging, and chatting. But which method could be most beneficial in advancing the relationship so that it would be a close one and also resemble that of a face to face friendship? One method that could effectively achieve this is known as “cam chatting” http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Free-Live-Cam-Chat-Room-An-Easy-Path-Towards-A-Strong-Relationship/1074690. Cam chatting has greatly improved the world of online friendship because you can actually see the person that you are communicating with face to face. And because you can see the person you put a face to this person that you are chatting with and also it is an excellent ice breaker. The technology has led to many people not feeling like they are in the dark while chatting with this person. Furthermore there are no surprises when you finally meet face to face http://internet.myfreearticlecentral.com/Article_22432_Internet-Landscape-Is-Incomplete-Without-Free-Video-Chat.aspx. I believe this is so much better than just communicating via email or instant messaging not really seeing whom you might be communicating with. For instance, some people have communicated with people who were not really who they said they were and so with this type of chatting this can be avoided and then hopefully the relationship can be developed based on what you can see and hear. If this is developed further this could really change the concept of online friendship.
By Collette

Communication: Levels of Friendships

There are many levels of friendships. The relationship we have with someone in the early stages of a friendship is not the same as what we experience as the friendship grows and matures. There are acquaintances who you see regularly, buddies who you play with. There are friends whom we term as consultants and they are there to offer advice and also dearest friends who will go through it all with you.




All levels of friendship require a commitment and effective communication. Best friends are seen as treasures and comforters when there is a good communication. The deepest stage of friendship is the most rewarding and also the most demanding http://lifeofj.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/the-4-levels-of-friendship/

According to Reem Abeidoh's reflection on Social Impressions, http://www.reemabeidoh.com/social-media/the-5-levels-of-social-media-relationships/ there are five levels of friendships. Jedi, who serves as a mentor and can provide you information on things you can never learn. iBestfriend, this is a relationship where you feel comfortable with sharing information with that individual. Buddy is when you lay the foundation for a strong relationship. E-quaintance is where you know very little about each personal lives and lastly, link lover, these are friends you don't intend to keep them around, it is solely in your IM to link stories to. There are people who are nervous and conscious when meeting people for the first time. They believe that first impressions are important http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N33q303jSy0&feature=related.

Now if I may know can the virtual world and the real world have the same levels of friends?

Issues of Trust: Cyber Affairs

Social Media have foster many kinds and levels of friendships, ranging from acquaintances to best friends. Some of these friendships have evolved into meaningful relationships. However, there is growing danger of cyber affairs that are threatening many real life relationships. When marriages and relationship end on the rocks because one partner had cheated on the other, we tend to vent our anger on the home wrecker (the other woman/man). How can we rain all our rage on an invisible person?

In the real sense, having an affair involves having a physical and emotional contact with another other than your partner. There is a brewing debate whether secret online romance can be considered as cheating. Depending on whom you ask, the answers differ. For most women, cyber affairs are equally devastating as real ones. “Emailing and messaging a member of the opposite sex other than your partner, can be very destructive; a betrayal of trust, a deceit and abuse of the sanctity of a relationship”. http://newsitemstoday.today.com/2009/05/18/online-cheating-cyber-cheating/ . Most men however believe that online affairs are simply harmless because there is no physical contact involve. But cheating is and will always be cheating- online or off. Cyber affairs are a betrayal of trust, a vital component in every relationship. Without it no friendship or relationship can survive. It must be earned and must be kept sacred.

Chatting online is all about communication. And as we all know, communication has always initiate friendship and the more you communicate with someone, the closer the bond. http://searchwarp.com/swa531880-Cyber-Cheating-Is-It-Really-Cheating.htm . Moreover, these online flirting are conducted in secret. There are stories of many breakups because of these online clandestine affairs. Yes, social media has generated all kinds of friendships and those who choose to cheat online deceive themselves by thinking that these are just fantasies. An emotional involvement is a strong web that is difficult to click away or untangle. To do anything behind your partner’s back is detrimental to the trust that binds you.

Issues of Trust : Online Dating

The issues of trust in online relationships are very common especially when it comes to dating online or even just a causal friendship. For example when it comes to online dating people tend to put their best feet forward so as to be able to attract a partner and sometimes that is not who they really are http://www.helium.com/items/729587-can-you-trust-the-honesty-of-online-dating-site-participants. Also some people even go to the lengths of putting a different picture and describe their physically appearance like a character that you would read about in a romance novel. A personal friend of mine had a nasty experience where she met someone online and they were chatting for a while maybe for some weeks and they decide to meet. She told me that she was so disappointed when she met the guy because the picture that she had seen was not the person she was looking at. She said she told him that you look so different from the picture that is on the web. She said his reply was that she looked the same as the online picture she had posted. And she said to him is that not what one does when they are looking to meet people? Then after that encounter she found him again on another dating website with the same name but another picture that was not his face. So this is just an example of what people might face when it comes to online dating. So there should be ways of verifying who people say that they are before investing more into the relationship check out this website for useful tips http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/features/onlinedatingsafetytips.html. By Collette

Issues of Trust: Can You Ever Really Know Someone Online?

There are many benefits to social networking, but just as many troubles. One of the major issues with online friendship is trust. How can we have complete confidence in someone we have never met? How do we know that our “friends” are really who they say they are?
Honesty becomes an issue when we recreate our personas to make ourselves seem more desirable. I am sure that we could all come up with a time when we have been guilty of this. It may be as innocent as losing five pounds when we log on, or as deceitful as pretending to be someone else entirely. Either way, the lies affect our self worth or others.
In a music video, country singer Brad Paisley jests about online personalities and how easy it is to represent an untrue version of ourselves. You can view So Much Cooler Online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ
Not all stories are as light-hearted as Paisley’s video. The tragic suicide of Megan Meier at age fourteen, was due to cyber bullying and fraudulent representation. Megan believed she had met the boy of her dreams, Josh, on MySpace and had been exchanging online messages with him for weeks. The messages from Josh soon turned malicious and urged Megan to kill herself. It was later discovered that Josh was created by Lori Drews, the mother of a girl that Megan went to school with. More details on this heartbreaking story can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Megan_Meier
So, how do you know whether or not an online friend is being truthful about who they are? You can never really be 100% sure. Therefore, it is always best to be cautious when participating in online relationships. StaySafeOnline.org posts some great advice regarding safe social networking.
Are you who you claim to be online?
If you have any comments or stories you would like to share, please feel free to do so!

By: Melanie

Issues of Trust: How Do We Decide On a Friend?

A good therapeutic relationship is a kind of friendship where there are boundaries that do not exist in ordinary friendships but, like friendships, trust, loyalty, acceptance and affection are important. This is why a friend can be our best therapist.


Trust is one of the fundamental elements of a good friendships. In the real world, before deciding who a real friend is, there must be a face to face interaction. People take into consideration physical contact through effective communication, by hanging out together, going to lunch and dinner and socialising together. Our friends are essential to our enjoyment of life. They support and validate our sense of self http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/08/choosing-friends-friendship-breakdown.


Due to advancement of technology, friends are made easier than you can think of. We meet friends on facebook, twitter and friendship starts right away with text messaging and online chatting. I believe this link explains how to choose friends on real or virtual world http://www.helium.com/items/85594-ten-qualities-every-friend-should-have On the other hand, we should be careful when choosing friends online. I know of a 14yr old girl who met someone online and thought she had found a friend, not knowing that person was a 40 year old man. There are consequences to some of these friendships. So if I may know, what do you look for in a friend?

The Evolution Of Friendship - From Penpal to "Tweet" Pal

Communication, an important element in friendship have been totally revolutionalized by this age of technological innovations. Gone are the days of the Ink and Quill - Welcome to Instant Messaging and Tweeting.
I remember it started from sending telegram, then to mailing of letters and delivery by post men, then to telephone calls and later through emails. Now most people deal with the social networking site and true friends communicate through instant messaging. In the virtual world friends communicate through facebook, tweeter and many networking sites. The link below explains how friendship has evolved . http://www.articlesbase.com/relationships-articles/internet-friendship-turning-distant-friendship-in-to-reality-174317.html Internet friendship has bridged the gap to a great extent. The basic fundamentals of communication are exchanging informations opinions and ideas and these can be utilized through the use of internet.
//http://nms.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/6/4/487
Some basic elements of communication are facial expression, tone of the language, eye contact and position of your body. Now due to technology, communication can take place within seconds without noticing all these elements. Now the question I ask myself and want to know is this social interaction through the internet reliable?, Has it really transformed the community in a positive or negative way?

The Evolution of Friendship - The Definition of "Friend"

As Melanie stated in the blog, friendship is a relationship that is an important aspect of our lives. I am further going to expand on this aspect and to begin with what a "friend" truly means to me and maybe to some others.

A "friend" to me is someone that I am comfortable with and that I can share my thoughts. Furthermore a "friend" is someone who can rely on me for the same things as mentioned above. Also a "friend" is someone who will not betray the trust that I have in her and in the context of this that I can share some of my secrets, struggles, likes, and dislikes. In addition, a "friend" is someone who has her own unique qualities and still have some things in common and treasure our uniqueness at the same time. Now that I have defined what a "friend" means to me, I would like to examine what other literary sources define "friend" as. Thefreedictionary.com defines "friend" as a person who is liked and trusted, who is an associate, who supports, and a comrade in times of struggle. It was interesting to find that in Word history a friend literally means "lover" and in the English word "friend" is actually an action word which is "to love" see this website for the full text http://www.thefreedictionary.com/friend. Also dictionary.com gives an added definition stating that there should be attraction between the individuals and they should be in good terms with each other http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend.
In examining the definitions of "friend" and how I actually relate with my friends in real life, I totally agree with these definitions. Do you? "Friendship" is a subjective relationship and in the way that we interact with one another.So when I study relationships online I beg to differ that love and affection can be established with someone that you have not built a relationship with "face to face". My case in point is reflected in this article that states that social networks where established primarily to connect people but consumers have stated that they were not necessarily looking for strangers http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html. My memorable friendships have been based on face to face encounters. So if I may ask what is a friend to you? And can you recall a memorable friendship and how that relationship was formed?

By Collette

The Evolution of Friendship - The Introduction

From letters and lunches to Facebook and Twitter; our forum for friendship and all it entails has changed dramatically over the years. Does anyone remember having a pen pal? Call me old fashioned, but I miss the excitement of seeing the flag on the mailbox flip up as the mailman (ahem, mail person) drives away.

It is not only our idea of friendship that has been recreated over the last five years, but our lifestyles. Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone states that "we sign fewer petitions, belong to fewer organizations that meet, know our neighbors less, meet with friends less frequently, and even socialize with our families less often."

The evolution of Web 2.0 and it's social networking sites have changed how people interact with each other. We are now able to call someone a friend without ever having met them and carry on an engaging conversation without picking up our telephone, or leaving our houses. We can update our status to let our 3000 best buddies know what we are up to 24 hours/day.

It is possible, that quality of friendship today has been sacrificed for quantity?

Are we more interested in collecting friends and social capital than we are in maintaining our real life connections?
If you have a Facebook or Twitter account, you may know exactly what I am speaking of. If not, please sign on, observe and experience these social networking sites. We would love to hear about your experiences and opinions.



by: Melanie