sam04u
Comrades, Comrades!
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2003
- Messages
- 2,867
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- HSC
- 2006
The original question asked in this thread is so poorly written that usually I might ignore the thread all together, but I'll make an exception and respond to the question.
The problem with the initial question is that it's broken, the sentence had to replace the word "friend" with "people" in order to accomodate for the fact that according to the English language within which we are communicating the word friend fits best there. "Can you call x friends true friends" or "Would you consider online friends to be true friends".
Unless ofcourse the word you're looking for is "acquaintance". Obviously there are hundreds of millions of people connected online at any given time, would I consider these "people" to be my friends? Of course not, as I do not know them, do not know of them, and for the most part have nothing to do with them further than considering them to be my fellow man.
So you see the fallacious nature of the question is exposed simply on the fact that the english language permits online acquaintances to be considered friends, so long as some form of kinship and relationship exists, as would generally be the case.
Now to the question of whether to distinguish between friends made online and those made offline. The distinction between the two is pretty simple to make, but of course the question asks about the friendship in terms of the relationship involved. The truth is it is very difficult for a frienship to develop in social gatherings where many interpersonal relations are formed in some cases due to neccessity or convenience. Think back at how many friends with which you have lost contact due to moving away, finishing school, or just simply the relationship being inconvenient. This adds credence to the claim that places of social gathering and such do not create real bonds and friendships.
Nay, it is in isolation where two or more people can truly allow feelings for one another develop, rather than in public places where there is much to be aware of and little in place to aid in the development of relationships.
I would argue that it is easier to develop closer relationships online in private messages, queries, whispers, instant messages, than it would be in what you call "real life" as if to consider people online to be somehow unreal.
Think back at when you and your "real life" friends have developed your relationships. It would have been during phone calls, or when you're alone with one another, at their place, etc.
So the logical conclusion is "yes". It is both permissable and logical to consider friends which you have met online as true friends.
The problem with the initial question is that it's broken, the sentence had to replace the word "friend" with "people" in order to accomodate for the fact that according to the English language within which we are communicating the word friend fits best there. "Can you call x friends true friends" or "Would you consider online friends to be true friends".
Unless ofcourse the word you're looking for is "acquaintance". Obviously there are hundreds of millions of people connected online at any given time, would I consider these "people" to be my friends? Of course not, as I do not know them, do not know of them, and for the most part have nothing to do with them further than considering them to be my fellow man.
So you see the fallacious nature of the question is exposed simply on the fact that the english language permits online acquaintances to be considered friends, so long as some form of kinship and relationship exists, as would generally be the case.
Now to the question of whether to distinguish between friends made online and those made offline. The distinction between the two is pretty simple to make, but of course the question asks about the friendship in terms of the relationship involved. The truth is it is very difficult for a frienship to develop in social gatherings where many interpersonal relations are formed in some cases due to neccessity or convenience. Think back at how many friends with which you have lost contact due to moving away, finishing school, or just simply the relationship being inconvenient. This adds credence to the claim that places of social gathering and such do not create real bonds and friendships.
Nay, it is in isolation where two or more people can truly allow feelings for one another develop, rather than in public places where there is much to be aware of and little in place to aid in the development of relationships.
I would argue that it is easier to develop closer relationships online in private messages, queries, whispers, instant messages, than it would be in what you call "real life" as if to consider people online to be somehow unreal.
Think back at when you and your "real life" friends have developed your relationships. It would have been during phone calls, or when you're alone with one another, at their place, etc.
So the logical conclusion is "yes". It is both permissable and logical to consider friends which you have met online as true friends.
