OT - Cyber Buddies

[Don]

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehuman ... ?GT1=43002


And for those that are click impaired

I have a friend named Sue. Actually, “Sue” isn’t her real name, and she isn’t really a friend: she’s something akin to a lost sorority sister—we went to the same college, participated in the same activities and had a lot of mutual respect and admiration for one another. But since graduation, we’ve fallen out of touch, and the only way I know about Sue, her life and her family is through her Facebook updates. That’s why I felt almost like a voyeur when Sue announced, via Facebook, the death of her young son. I was surprised she had chosen to share something so personal online–and then ashamed, because since when did I become the arbiter of what’s appropriate for that kind of grief?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized Facebook might be the perfect venue for tragic news: it’s the fastest way to disseminate important information to the group without having to deal with painful phone calls; it allowed well-meaning friends and acquaintances to instantly pass on condolences, which the family could read at their leisure, and it eliminated to possibility that were I to run into Sue in the supermarket, I’d ask unknowingly about her son and force her to replay the story over again.

Numerous studies have shown that a strong network of friends can be crucial to getting through a crisis, and can help you be healthier in general. But could virtual friends, like the group of online buddies that reached out to Sue, be just as helpful as the flesh-and-blood versions? In other words, do Facebook friends—and the support we get from them—count? These questions are all the more intriguing as the number of online social-network users increase. Facebook attracted 67.5 million visitors in the U.S. in April (according to ComScore Inc.), and the fastest-growing demographic is people over 35. It’s clear that connecting to friends, both close and distant, via the computer will become more the norm than novelty.


Researchers have yet to significantly study the social implications of Facebook, so what we do know is gleaned from general studies about friendship, and some of the emerging studies about online networking. First, a definition of “friend”: In research circles, experts define a friend as a close, equal, voluntary partnership—though Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, says that in reality, “friendships don’t have to be equal or close, and we know from research that friendships aren’t as voluntary as they seem,” because they’re often constricted by education, age and background. Friends on Facebook seem to mimic, if not replicate, this trend—there are people online that you are more likely to chat with every day, while others only make an appearance once or twice a year, content to spend the rest of the time residing silently in your friend queue. (Though the Facebook friends with whom you have frequent social interaction might not be people you interact with often in "real life.")

In life, having 700 people in your circle of friends could get overwhelming, but that’s less of an issue online. “Research suggests that people are only intermittently in touch with many of their online ‘friends’ but correspond regularly with only a few good friends,” says Shelley E. Taylor, professor of psychology at The University of California, Los Angeles. “That said, creating networks to ease the transition to new places can be hugely helpful to people, offsetting loneliness until new friends are made.”

In other words, Facebook may not replace the full benefits of real friendship, but it definitely beats the alternative. I conducted a very informal poll via my Facebook status update, asking if Facebook makes us better friends. A high-school pal, with whom I haven't spoken in about 10 years, confessed that since she had her baby, corresponding via Facebook has been a lifeline—and even if she wasn’t actively commenting, it was nice to know what people were up to. “Any electronic communication where you don’t have to be in the same physical space is going to decrease feelings of isolation,” says Dr. Adams.

Several people in my online network admit that Facebook doesn’t make them a better friend, but a better acquaintance, more likely to dash of a quick happy birthday e-mail, or to comment on the photo of a new puppy. But that’s not a bad thing. Having a large group of “friends” eager to comment on your daily life could be good for your self-esteem. When you get a new job, a celebratory lunch with your best friends will make you feel good and make for a fantastic memory. But the boost you get from the 15 Facebook friends who left encouraging comments can also make you happy.

“The way to think of this is before the Internet, we wouldn’t see our acquaintances very often: every once in a while, we might show up at a wedding and suddenly have 100 of our closest friends around," says James Fowler, associate professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego. "With Facebook, it’s like every day is a wedding.” And just like leaving a wedding may leave you feeling energized and inspired by reconnecting to old pals, so can spending time on Facebook,” says Fowler.

While Fowler’s research also shows that bad habits like smoking and weight gain can be contagious among close friends, emotions like happiness and sadness are easily transferable through acquaintances. The good news? “Because happiness spreads more easily then unhappiness, getting positive comments from your Facebook friends is more likely to make you happy than sad,” he says.

Shy people who may not always be able to engage friends in the real world are finding solace in the structure of Facebook. Though people who identify as shy have a smaller circle of Facebook friends than those who don’t, they are better able to engage with the online friends they do have. “Because people don’t have to interact face-to-face, that’s why we’re seeing them having relationships: they can think more about what they have to say and how they want to say it,” says Craig Ross, a graduate student in psychology at the University of Windsor who studies online social networks.

[artist4perry]

That was interesting.......but a long read!

I have friends online that share intrests that I cannot share with my peers here. Few people are die in the wool Journey fans and would be easily bored if you prattered on and on about the band.

As an artist I have the same problem. When I was in college, I had tons of friends to discuss art, and art history, and the future of art. But most of the people I know now don't.

I am busy and so are most of my friends here, we get together seldom, and truth be told my best friend is Dan. My other best friend is in Las Vegas. I have a good friend in Texas and a few other states I have lived in. You get the point.

I have moved so much in the past, it is hard to make friends here where most of the women are shopaholics and that is mainly what they talk about. Either that or they are incurable gossips and that is right up there with "shoot me now please'. I am not a shopaholic, and find shopping boring.

So here I am on MR. Talking to aspiring artists, musicians, cranks, comedians, fans, gentle people, loud people, and all and all in general...........wonderful people. I really love coming on here, and even if we have a spat or two, your the best folks around. We come on a common ground. Not too Shabby of a place here Andrew.

[Deb]

So here I am on MR. Talking to aspiring artists, musicians, cranks, comedians, fans, gentle people, loud people, and all and all in general...........wonderful people. I really love coming on here, and even if we have a spat or two, your the best folks around. We come on a common ground. Not too Shabby of a place here Andrew.

You talk to cranks?!

[StoneCold]

A4P / finally a sig I like! Not a damn cat in sight.

Note, I do like some of cyndy's cartoon cats, BJG'S Springsteen hello kitty's are ok too.

[DrFU]

So here I am on MR. Talking to aspiring artists, musicians, cranks, comedians, fans, gentle people, loud people, and all and all in general...........wonderful people. I really love coming on here, and even if we have a spat or two, your the best folks around. We come on a common ground. Not too Shabby of a place here Andrew.

You talk to cranks?!

those are the ones that spout off a lot ...

[artist4perry]

So here I am on MR. Talking to aspiring artists, musicians, cranks, comedians, fans, gentle people, loud people, and all and all in general...........wonderful people. I really love coming on here, and even if we have a spat or two, your the best folks around. We come on a common ground. Not too Shabby of a place here Andrew.

You talk to cranks?!

those are the ones that spout off a lot ...

Correct..........LOL! But, they are entertaining at times..........