Mr. Malcom R. Parks,

The internet is definitely the best way to stay connected to the most people.  I would never know half of the stuff I know about people who have once been, currently are, or never really will be part of my life if it wasn’t for the internet.  I personally have a little less than 1000 friends on Facebook.  I could probably tell you where or how I know/met most of them, but do I really care what they’re doing? Probably Not.  I would say if I care or still talk or even want to keep in touch with 100-200 of them, that’s a lot.  SO why am I still friends with them on Facebook? Great Question.  I’m not sure if I can choose between your two options of whether online relations are shallow, personal, and hostile versus being liberated, genuine, personal, and found.

A lot of people have rekindled relationships via Facebook including myself.

> When my parents were in the military they were great friends with a few couples.  Once they each got out and started their families throughout the states it became harder and harder to see each other and stay in touch.  At one point I started finding all of the kids of these families that I had grown up with on Facebook.  We started talking and catching up and forced our parents to plan a reunion for that summer.  SO yayyy for Facebook being able to reunite old friends. 

But some people are only friends with people on Facebook because they find their lives interesting.

My thing is:  If you wouldn’t say Hi to them at the grocery store you shouldn’t be friends with them on Facebook.. Pretty logical, right?  I think so.  Why should people have access to information about your life if you aren’t even willing to have a casual (probably fake) conversation with them in a public place. 

I still think the personal relationships people have with each other are the best ones, whether they are enhanced by technology or whatever….

Yours truly,

Karra Logan