We have a big social network so to say, be it the virtual world or the actual reality.FB,Orkuts, Google pluses and so on.How many of these members are really your true friends?Many may have time to gossip and latch on because they are vella( the couch potato syndrome) or may be they love to have their views plastered all across the virtual walls to make a noise and make them visible.Some like to pass a comment just because they accidentally happen to see the post or happened to be on FB especially during the wee hours.
Many of them may be friends so that they meet and drink and pass time .Few of them would be colleagues, ex colleagues etc .A majority of them are related and make comments narrating every minute they live which surprises me to the extent they wish to make their life an open book.Exchanging information and updating people is good no doubt but what are friends for?
A friend in need is a friend indeed.Those who stand by you through thick and thin and relate with you on a platform that you can understand him without he or she having to reveal their soul.Casual talk, fun and gossip is good but to really assess and get a few good friends in life is like owning a Kohinoor diamond and take pride in associating with him or her that makes you worthy.A man is known by the company he keeps.
I have a group of friends since 1977 and we take great pride in the association we , our wives and our kids have all these years and don't honestly need the FB'S to connect.We have studied together, then branched out into different streams, moved to different locations across the world, but still connect in person and catch up with genuine intent.No expectations.Each of us is well off in relative terms and irrespective of the global location and professional stature we connect at par. Making social contacts across the world , yes FB is fine.When you connect to someone on the net ,he may be just another opportunist who knows.He benefits from you or your circle.He may take advantage of your views or contacts.He may end up being a good virtual contact but would he be a true friend?I don't know.Can we really get true friends over the web?
I think very few of us can boast of real friendship. Friendship requires more of "giving" than"getting" which very few of us are prepared for.
ReplyDeleteWith the kind of economically secured lives most of us lead,we really don't need anyone's economic support very much. Friends however play important role in caring and sharing.Some of it is achieved thru social networking sites but no amount of it can replace personal contact.