RIENDSHIPImage: mcdordor 2001 (flickr)
Image: jeansman (flickr)
The beginning of a new friendship... Two people meet and begin to talk to one
another in an attempt to get to know each other.
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The conversation is usually stimulated by a mutual interest such as music, love of a celebrity,
sports or cars
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In the past, these initial interactions have lead to further meetings as two people get to know each other. They
would talk over coffee or go on outdoor excursions developing a beautiful friendship.
Source: pshab (flickr)
ENTER
A social media site that has revolutionized friendship as we know it
After that initial meeting, now people add each other as “friends” on social media sites such as
facebook so that they can view each others profiles and chat via wall posts or instant
messaging.
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Profiles provide instant information about one’s
Likes/Dislikes
Activities/Interests
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EDUCATION
… and much more
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One can learn more about someone from their online profile than from several in-person meetings.
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Image: Romolachea.net pic’s Image: Ed Yourdan (flickr)
Instead of going out to meet with people and chat in person, people are choosing to stay each in their own
space and chat with people online via social media sites.
THUS…
This is creating a new type of
VIRTUAL friendship
Image: rafaejewells (flickr)
This new type of friendship
allows people
to “Shut others off
when they don’t have the
time or the will” and
“control the intensity of
our connections”
- Professor Sherry Turkle in “The great disconnect: Using Facebook for
social distance”
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These virtual friendships can be classified as
shallowdisconnected
socially distant
individual
Image: Simon Godley (flickr)
“People are spending more time online and less time face-face”
- Craig Marcus, an executive creative director at McCann Erickson
Creating anti-social tendencies
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Some people can no longer express their feelings in person….
Image: Dmitri N (flickr)
Instead they hide behind screens and rely on cell phone texting, facebook or other social
media sites to tell people how they really feel - Jessica Bonheaur “study examines social media’s impact on student mental health,
interpersonal activity”
Image: Daniel Colvin Fine Art (flickr)
Is this how a friendship should be?
isolated?
Dentyne recently created an ad campaign to inspire people to power down their technology
devices and meet face to face- “Log Off, Latch On, Make Facetime: Dentyne's New Campaign Turns Heads “
Image: ctsiokos (flickr)
The campaign is based on the idea that technology is good but it does not offer all
the benefits of being in person - Craig Marcus “Log Off, Latch On, Make Facetime: Dentyne's New Campaign Turns Heads”
Image: Edmund Tse (flickr)
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Image: acordova (flickr)
DISADVANTAGE: While talking online it is
difficult to detect ones tone, which can often create confusion
What distinguishes a
happy hello from a
sarcastic, upset or
angry one?
Image: bowen_jac (flickr)
Many friends experience disagreements online because of simple misunderstandings
“Nearly 70 percent [of surveyed students] have had an argument exclusively via text message,” – Jessica Bonheur “Study examines social media’s impact on student mental health, interpersonal activity”
Image: denislpaul (flickr)
Then again, social media allows you to connect with
anyone, anywhere in the world at anytime
An easy and inexpensive way to keep in contact with friends and family that can not be seen everyday
Technology has changed friendship as we know itWhether good or bad YOU DECIDE
But the plain truth is Use social media, but don’t forget about the
importance of real contact
Image: camorico183 (flickr)