Essay On Internet Friendship

1240 Words3 Pages

As most people would believe, the internet and social media can be viewed as a collaborative tool to unite people from all over the world. People have the ability to share their stories, personal views, and establish relationships with other people based on their interests. To be more specific, in today’s social norm our online community can view another person’s profile on a social media website such as Twitter or Instagram and decide whether or not they would like to befriend them. Where this usually ends, however, is deciding as to whether or not the internet can be used as a solid platform to build a long-lasting friendship. While most internet users would readily agree that it is possible to build a solid friendship through the use of …show more content…

Psychologist and Professor Sherry Turkle affirms that a face-to-face interaction allows people to relate on a personal and emotional level: “An in-person exchange cultivates empathy because you are able to experience the whole person, the tone of their voice, the way they hold their body, the way they respond to you.” From this claim, people are able to realize that collaborating in person allows a group of friends to relate on a personal and emotional level in which the Internet doesn’t have that ability. In comparison, although a text or post on social media demonstrates direct communication between groups of people, it creates a barrier between the emotional and physical level during a conversation. Turkle points out that “[e]very technology has its own affordance and the online life lets us hide in plain sight. We can present ourselves as we wish to be.” As shown, people need to be extremely cautious when they are conversing with the public online. People take advantage of posting particular items on their profiles, and they are very careful with their choice of words. All in all, every friendship requires a personal and face-to-face interaction in order for a friendship to …show more content…

As our society continues to change, people will evolve as well, but there are certain treasures people must grasp and never let go which includes the close, in-person bond of a friendship. This type of friendship will allow people to live a memorable and fulfilled life, and it will create a satisfaction beyond description. Yes, it may not always be easy, but an in-person friendship will be a great journey in the long

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