“Friends,” social networks and politics

[Cyrano]

When I was a kid, a priest told me that “If you have one friend, you’re lucky. If you have two friends, you’re blessed.” I’m not a member of any religion, but I never forgot his words. And it makes you think about the real meaning of the word “friend.”

In today’s world, given all the social networks and various places that you can meet new “friends,” the word “friend” has become meaningless.

So let me define what the word used to mean, and still means to me. A friend is someone you know and whom you can trust implicitly. A friend is someone who will make sacrifices for you (as you would for your friend). A friend is someone you can always call on, no matter what (as he/she can always call on you). And finally, a friend is someone who may actually risk or give their life for yours (as you would for him/her).

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the word “friend” had the meaning defined above. Today, the word “friend” means anyone who is some casual online acquaintance. It can be a person who has never been seen or met. And far too may people think that their “friend” is someone who can “trusted.”

So let me get to the point. I have an acquaintance that recently joined facebook and made many “friends.” Since I’m not on facebook myself, I don’t know what the rules and regulations are. Nonetheless, my acquaintance (who is very politically naïve) was informed by two new “friends” about the “wickedness of “the man at the top” and how he must be stopped. He also has received “suggestions” of websites to visit and how “he can help to save us all.” I’ve tried to clue him in that he’s reading propaganda and that he is being used and recruited. But I’ve only managed to confuse him.

The bottom line here is that he trusts his new “friends.” And I can’t get through to him that he’s being duped. Any suggestions?

[Dappleganger]

1. You can't fix stupid.

[Kalidurga]

2. Sounds like he needs a professional,

hopefully it is just online voices in his head...

[InvisibleTouch]

3. The word "friend" has come to take on multiple meanings to me.

For the most part I mean it in a casual sense these days. Only rarely does it align with your definition, for me, but there are a few individuals where your definition fits. Some online friends in fact do fit the more intimate definition - even some whom I have never met. But when I use the qualifier "Facebook friend," it almost automatically has the casual meaning. No way would I risk my life for most of them, nor would ask them to do so for me.

[applegrove]

4. I have many layers of people in my life. I may at times call them all friend. Sometimes not.

It just depends.

[Lex]

5. Easily influenced people . . .

they exist on social networks and IRL (in real life) too.