Power Of Friendship

 Social "Media Friends"

Traditionally friend denotes a co-operative relationship that includes supportive action usually based in knowledge, respect, loyalty, and some availability in times of stress or crisis. Friendship can grow from participating in common activities, spending time in common work or study spaces, and usually involves discovering common values. A friend protects and looks out for a friend. Honesty and some degree of intimacy are hallmarks of friendship.

In any situation, the quality of “friend” depends on the reason for connecting, the situation, the longevity of the existing relationship, and the sophistication of the people in the relationship.

Linking up on a social networking site is is often called “friending,” as in Liz wants to be your friend. Those we connect with instantly become our “friends” in that network database. These can be non-personal friends, such as when two countries enter into an agreement for political purposes and international relations. Connections made to extend a network’s reach might be seen in this light.

Relationships online also rise to the level of personal friendship. The values of the social web — authenticity, honesty, transparency of purpose, and trust — make it natural for like-minded people to become friends in a real sense. Many people in social media overlook the term and hold friend to a higher meaning than a non-personal connection.

3 Benefits of Social Media Friends

What does it mean to be someone’s friend?

It means that you try to understand, care, and offer support to that person. Can that only take place in a face-to-face format?

Social media friends are people you probably share information with, share ideas with, share stories and emotions with.

But this all takes place digitally rather than in person.

Which, when you think about it, is just another form of communication

1-Increased contact

2-New Beginnings

3-Friendship on Your Terms

Drawbacks of Social Media Friends

If your social media friends are exclusively that—people who you never see in real life—certain things will be lost.

You won’t have the advantage of understanding their body language, making eye contact, or engaging in physical contact.

All of these things make the friendship more real.

If you need someone to come water your plants while you are away or join you for dinner at a restaurant, your social media friends are unlikely to help unless they are people you also know in real life.

And if you find yourself in a time of true emotional need, the risk of relying on social media friends is great.

It’s much too easy for social media friends to skedaddle rather than tough it out when things get messy.

Why Real-Life Friends Are Important?

What are real-life friends important along with your social media friends?

We’ve already skimmed over these reasons but for the sake of review:

• there are levels of friendship, and social media friends offer the least depth
• it’s better to have a few close friends who will stick with you rather than hundreds of social media friends who could disappear
• real-life friends will enrich your life in a way that social media friends can’t, through learning to forgive and building intimacy and trust
• having a circle of real-life friends helps to expand your identity so that you’re not overly dependent on one relationship

How to Make Real-Life Friends a Priority

It sounds contrived to make a plan to reconnect with friends in real life, but that’s exactly what you’ve got to do!

• Schedule time to re-connect with old friends (perhaps some of them are even social media friends)
• Make plans with people who you know and would like to get to know better
• Plan an annual trip with people you already consider to be friends (again perhaps social media friends)

What do you think? Are social media friends real friends?