ANSWERS: 21
  • I don't consider a friend, people whom I talk to online. I consider a friend someone that I know for a long period of time face to face.
  • I consider them some of my real friends already. I consider most of those on my friends list to be real friends (it's the reason why I have relatively few users there, just one page).
  • Great question! 5+ I've had this conversation with AB friends over and over again, and sometimes...it gets a little fighty. I used to think that these were AB-friends, and that somehow they were different than "real" friends. However, I have been associated with this site for almost two years now. And it's more complex than that. I definitely say that there are people here who I've spoken to on the phone and whose e-mails I have. One whom I planned to visit this summer (but it didn't work out because of my work schedule). Those people are definitely friends to me, because I know where to call them when I need some private time, not just public consultation that is plastered on the net. But there are a HUGE number of AB'ers that I have a great deal of respect for, yet don't have their phone numbers/ e-mail. These people are friends of a sort. But if they disappeared from AB, I won't know if they died or just couldn't stand the flame wars, or whatever. I think by MY definition of "friend," I would know if a friend had died. There are AB'ers whose banter I miss. But because I never asked for their e-mails, I don't know where they are, how to chat with them. This makes me sad. I mourn them just like I mourn dead friends...so...maybe there is some synchronicity in that and my definition of "friend" is too narrow for the modern day world. By the way, there were people at my wedding who I had ONLY met on an on-line networking site! Two flew in from two states away and two came from two counties away.
  • They are real people and as such, they are real friends... to whatever extent life and love allows them to be .. to me ♥
  • I certainly consider some of the other users to be my real friends as I do keep in contact with some of them on a regular basis via emails.
  • They are like my Brothers & Sisters........
  • Friends here only. Sometimes kindred souls, though
  • Most of the people I meet on or know from AB are considered (by me) friends that I only speak to or hang out with on the site. Like zazzy said - there are a huge number of people on AB that I truly respect, admire and like as people, but whom I have no contact with away from AB. There is a small group of people whom I do contact - from time to time - away from the site, and an even smaller number of people that I have met here that I talk to every day, or at least a few times a week. I suppose it is those people that I consider to be "real" friends. It is those people who have grown very close to my heart and earned and kept my trust and respect.
  • Nah, to me, they're not real friends at all. Just names and personalities I run into from time to time. Many wits and personalities I admire, yes, but as a personal choice, I'd like to keep it that way. I don't contact any AB users outside the AB. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, it's just my personal way of doing things. It could change, I'm still somewhat new here. Cool Q!
  • Some, you get to know their personalities by their answers and questions and emails. Not the same as being face to face but that's the beauty of the internet.....the ability to connect. That's normally how I interact with my buddies from college and they are in my Will.
  • I consider them real friends. I have friends that have been in my life for years, and I have friends that are new in my life, just like here on AB. All are dear to me.
  • I have some of each. I think that some of the people here are actual real friends that I may meet in person, some I may never meet but feel comfortable enough to confide in and talk about important things, the sorts of things you would talk about with friends. And many people here are the kinds of friends that are mostly good acquaintances. It takes all kinds of make up a life. I'll not turn down any kind of friend for they all have a place in my life. I appreciate whatever kind of good, genuine association I have with them.
  • Some like sweetcakes are very real friends who I know would be there for me without hesitation if they truly believed I needed them.There are some as well who I do consider friends but just here in the big ole ab universe.Congrats on the birth of your son btw.
  • i don't have any AB friends so i can't make that decision :)
  • Some of them are my real friends. But the only one i talk to on the phone was Stayblue4life but she isn't here anymore:(
  • I have often thought that a more apt name for AB friends should be "colleagues"
  • I refer to AB friends as 'Internet friends'.
  • There are a select few I consider to be my friends outside of the AB universe. Others I'm friendly with here, but they don't know me on the level that those select few do. We're all friends, right? Sure we have our squabbles, but we've all sort of bonded over this little community here.
  • AB isn't really structured to allow people to get to know one another. Those who do get to know each other on here generally do so in spite of AB. So my answer is that there are undoubtedly people on here with whom I would be friends should the opportunity to do so existed, but who are actually now just passing acquaintences.
  • AB isn't setup for people to get to know one another. Of the friends I have on AB I can think of 2 that I actually know anything about, and that's because I knew those people from another website. Now, I consider those 2 people to be "internet friends", which to me means that I know enough about them to care about them personally, but not enough that I would recognize them if I passed them on the street. The internet is funny that way...
  • I have some that are true friends. A true friend is someone who is always there, someone who supports me even though they don't like what I am doing. Someone who can laugh and cry with you, someone you can relax and be yourself with without having to watch what you say or do. Someone you share good times and the bad, A true friend is there at three in the morning when you need a ride home, always willing to help you. A true friend will listen to you, console and comfort you even if they disagree with you. A true friend will be honest without being cruel, supportive without being smothering, and will accept you for who you are not who you think you should be.

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