A Family Streched Far and Wide

A lot of negative things have been said about the internet and social networking at one time or another, such as it being an evil influence over children or creating a generation of young people who do not know how to function in the real world or maintain real relationships. However, very little is said about the single most important benefit of the internet.

It brings people together.

The advent of online forums and social networking sites means that people who share interests can meet to discuss whatever it is that interests them. To paraphrase a popular saying, you like Doctor Who? There’s a forum for that. And in time the relationships that began because of a shared interest in a TV show or a computer game can blossom into real, active friendships.

I had this brought home to me this morning, when I was informed of the unexpected death of an online friend. This was a person who I had never met in real life, who I had spoken to one on one only a handful of times. But it still hurt, because they were still my friend. They liked the same things I did; we appreciated the same aspects of our chosen fandom. I might never have met them, but there was still a real person behind the username.

As I mentioned above, some claim that the internet and social networking has a damaging effect on our abilities to form real solid relationships. In my opinion this statement couldn’t be more wrong. Before I came to university, some of the closest relationships that I had were with people that I met online. They showed me that it wasn’t wrong to like the things that I liked, and in fact helped me enjoy them more, because I now had someone to share them with. These were some of the first people who told me that my writing was good and that I had talent and without them I would probably not being doing the course I am doing today.

And when I was ill and stuck at home these were the people who helped make things bearable. Who offered advice and words of comfort or simply a smiley emoticon. They brought a little light into the darkest days of my life.

The public perception of the internet denizen is of someone with no friends. But again, that is completely untrue. Thanks to the internet, I have a network of friends, stretching the whole world over. Without the internet I would never have met them, nor would I be the person that I am today.

So in conclusion, I would just like to raise a toast and say goodbye to the person I mentioned earlier. I may never have met you in real life, but you were still my friend. And I will miss you.