How many friends do you have? No need to be shy, let's hear the figure. In fact, why don't you say that number out-loud to your computer.
If the number you just said exceeds your graduating class, welcome.
Facebook could not have chosen a more perfect word to define the contacts you accumulate on their widely popular social networking site.
Remember how important it was to have friends in junior high and high school? More friends equaled, more of a person. It seems we never really lose that mentality.
People all around the world, are re-discovering....or discovering for the first time, the high that comes from being popular.
Are you a three, four or even five hundred friend-er?
If you are, you may want to consider the definition of "friend" mentioned in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
"One attached to another by affection or esteem"
For many, their status on Facebook has overtaken many of the previously valued things in their life including, but not limited too: family, friends, job, money, health, politics and reality.
We follow the every action of every day of every friend we claim. We know Cindy Lou is drinking her latte as she rides the bus to K-Mart, and Burt loves his wife at 3:02pm on a Thursday.
You on the other hand, share updates of recent oil changes and your favorite brand of ketchup, with all 506 of your closest and dearest friends.
Oh, a friend request! I don't recognize the name.....or the face.....or the country......click.(sound of the mouse adding another building block to your already epic friend pool)
In a little less than ten years, our relationships have gone from face to face, too face to screen.
Whether it's cell phones, texting, video games, e-mail, facebook, twitter, t.v. or a whole list of other devices, we as a culture spend more time with our screens than we do with actual faces.
Many of us have lost touch with reality and those close to them, and in the process have been consumed by unreality.
(For a definition of unreality, please see the popular country song by Brad Paisley, "Online".http://www.
You may have snickered earlier when I asked you to tell your computer how many friends you have, but it might not be as funny as you think. That screen might be the only friend you have left.
I really wish I had an avenue to share this post with all the people I know...It is crazy how in love with your screen you can get. I think to some extent we live vicariously through our friends. If our friends are cool, we're cool. Case in point - I don't like Jimmer but I'm quick to pipe up and let the world know I'm " friends" with him.
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