Here's my second favourite quote from the interview. I just sent the interview to my spousal unit to explain why I have been on the computer more than usual lately (since the influx). The key word in that quote, I think, is "building." -- like building anything, it takes time. Rapport, trust, and "some sort of friendship" are good things to build in little snippets of encouragement, opinion, debate, support, and questioning.Building rapport, trust, and some sort of online friendship is more important to the virtues of the site than having the most efficient way to discover the latest and greatest from around the internet.
"Some sort of friendship" was actually a painful phrase for me to write. Internet friends are qualitatively different than real friends, but they aren't exactly strangers either. I'm unaware of a better term, so I settled for a less than desirable but descriptive phrase that hints at what I mean without really capturing it. Inelegant, imprecise, but hopefully everyone understands nonetheless.
I know - there are friends and "some sort of friendship." Strangely, I dreamed this morning that two of my best real-world friends died. (interpretation anyone?) Anyway, yes - these friendships are qualitatively different for sure...and yet - we can have more rapport often in a text-based relationship - although some of the conversations here indicate that people read the words of others defensively at times rather than empathicly. Recent discussions (I'll tell you where if you haven't seen it) include the phrase "that's not what I said" and "where did you get that? I didn't say that." repeatedly. This "some kind of friendship" reminds me of a very dear friend of mine who was often sick. He'd say to me, "would you still love me if I was just a brain in a jar?" well - it would be "some kind of friendship" for sure.... note: my parents had met briefly at a family wedding in 1946, but actually fell in love through two years of writing letters while my father was in a VA hospital in the US and my mother was in Toronto. I look forward to hearing about the first Hubski wedding. (tee hee) the first baby will be named mk and the second thenewgreen