Hi, Are You My Best Friend?
Everyone has Facebook “friends”. Last night I dreamt I had a small party for all of my virtual friends.
Most people were from Perth, but I met, played and conversed with them on Facebook. For some reason, quite a few were from Upper Swan. At the party I played generative music (which I was investigating all last night on Ableton Live). As people arrived, I couldn’t recognise a single face (because, of course, I hadn’t actually seen them) and so there was this phenomenal embarrassing pause every time the gate opened. The kind you get when you should know a person’s name, but you don’t and it’s now too late for introductions.
The few people I knew from real life got an immediate handshake because they were easy to deal with.
But the funny thing was – a few of the online people were really close friends. And even more strange was the fact that, at this particular party, I was to meet my Son . . . for the first time. My Son, was also (somehow – the dream didn’t explain it) conceived online.
And it makes me think. Many of us now have friends that we haven’t even met. I teach people from all around the world (at Open Universities Australia) and I don’t even know what they look like. Or if I do – I’m sent a digital photograph in a forum. And we all know form meeting online friends in person that photgraphs do lie (in fact, they’re often the biggest liars. Ever been on a blind date?).
Now this is strange, really. For some of us – it goes further. Not only might we do business online, but for others, I’m sure, their very best friends are yet to be met. many of our relationships now are missing a meeting.
This dream was inspired by generative music and Mum last night showing me a photo of a 2nd or 3rd cousin from Liverpool I’ve never met. Anyway. As a writer, I think all this is very interesting and i thought I’d lighten up my BLOG a little. :).
