Question expecting the answer no?
Can a friendship app, a digital neighbourhood noticeboard or Facebook really help me discover a new bestie?
Well, I'd think probably not, but what do I know, also I am a cynic that thinks that those cuddly friends groups that are always hanging out together and organising parties for one another are a sitcom/romcom trope and probably very seldom to be found in the real world or else are very particular situation-dependent.
I am not sure that one can just tout court search for friendship online - speaking as somebody who Has Online Friends All Over The World In Several Timezones, but I made them through being active on listservs (at one time) and LJ/DW, which are, do admit, the ideal venues for introverts to put themselves Out There.
While the author of the article (who, dare I admit it, once contacted me about a matter within My Sphere of Expertise...) ultimately wonders if my existing social media connections may be the most fruitful source of friends. They have already expressed an interest in me as an individual, and I should have some sense of them as people and be confident that we have something in common.
this seems to mean Facebook and Twitter, which do not seem to me entirely eligible for the purpose, or maybe I am Doing Them Wrong.
Also, it may be the Ol' Introvert Boogie thing again, but I was just somewhat beswozzled by some of this recently on Captain Awkward: Birthday Blues Bulletin Board: Advice + Open Thread. Though I do get the more general principles of wanting things and not being sure whether it is okay to ask for them, only my things are not so much about people holding me a birthday bash (even if I do have a significant year coming up), but more along the lines of 'I would really like some mark of esteem along the lines of a festschrift but it seems massively egotistical to go around murmuring about this to one's academic colleagues'.
And mileage may vary on this, but I like what I understand some people dismiss as factitious and automated social media birthday greetings. And give them, including to people I am not sure are even around on DW any more.
Today I did, in fact, go out for lunch to meet up with a friend whom I have known for A Very Long Time, and it was lovely. All the same, it required a good deal of scheduling! This entry was originally posted at https://oursin.dreamwidth.org/2951602.html. Please comment there using OpenID. View
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