The value of friends

[Bar Wench]

One could say the same about this place? Just because people are cyber does it make it any less real?

I think that facebook et al are what you make of them. The two friends I was talking about are regularlly on facebook and we often gossip through there. In fact one of them I very rarely speak to on the phone it is all cyber apart from the once or twice a week I see her.

[Bar Wench]

I think it largely depends what you want to get out of relationships and, perhaps more importantly, what you are prepared to put into them. For my own part I am, I suspect, too self absorbed and frankly downright selfish to allow anyone to get too close. At least that is what both my wives have told me.

I would like to think that there is more to life than Facebook et al but for some that works.

But social networking is all this site is really when you come down to it.

[Snoopy]

I think it largely depends what you want to get out of relationships and, perhaps more importantly, what you are prepared to put into them. For my own part I am, I suspect, too self absorbed and frankly downright selfish to allow anyone to get too close. At least that is what both my wives have told me.

I would like to think that there is more to life than Facebook et al but for some that works.

But social networking is all this site is really when you come down to it.

Indeed ~ and since I am mostly housebound it works for me. Mrs S#2 sees my time on here as similar to when I went to work everyday. That is why she doesn't come in here herself. This is my place and the banter that goes on is the same as if I was at work. She frankly would rather not know what goes on day to day but would be happy to attend the "works annual dinner"

[Uncle Mort]

Facebook isn't a substitute for 'real' friends but more of another way of interacting with other people. Same as these types of forum, same as your local pub or your workplace.

Other people is what make life worthwhile. The nearer to your definition of friend they are the better but just being around other people is good.

I think we are a bit of a "herd animal" at heart.

[Bar Wench]

Personally I'd be happy just at home with a computer and a webcam.  People would be more than welcome to come and visit but I'd be most content never to go out amongst the general public.

[Uncle Mort]

Did you not enjoy being at Wembley recently?

[Bar Wench]

Did you not enjoy being at Wembley recently?

I suppose so. But if I didn't have to go out to work it would be a fair tradeoff!

[Uncle Mort]

To turn Sartre around ~ "Heaven is other people"

Not sure if I truly subscribe to my own argument though 

[Snoopy]

Did you not enjoy being at Wembley recently?

I suppose so. But if I didn't have to go out to work it would be a fair tradeoff!

Ah ~ There's the rub ~ work.

Problem with work is you don't get to choose your work colleagues. I was once "spoken to" by my MD for my alleged anti social behaviour because I would not attend work related social functions. My response was that "Just because I have to work with these people doesn't mean I have to like them". When he questioned that attitude I went on to explain that "They are not the sort of people I would, in the normal course of events, know socially". He then stupidly (IMHO) asked if that included the directors. My silence probably gave him the answer.
On another occasion Mrs S#2 (We both worked for the same company) informed him that he was exactly the sort of person her mother had always told her not to play with "in case she got things in her hair".

[Bar Wench]

  Excellent come back!

Interestingly one of my two people is a work colleague. She is more than twice my age and I call her my other Mummy but in a crisis, and I've had some big ones since I've known her, she is the person I would go to first.

[Nick]

Keep it going.

[Snoopy]

Keep it going.

I'm not sure how .... I have been giving this a deal of thought and I have come to the conclusion, having re-read that which I have written on the subject, that even I would not want to be my friend. 

[Nick]

 

[Snoopy]

[Pastis]

Bugger. I should have joined in this thread but missed it... werkin'

And werk = money

So, a small contribution; sometimes werk/money might come before friends, but a friend would understand that... unless it was desperate... of course