LJ is probably the best and worst medium for me, at the same time. It makes it easy to love the many, admire you en masse, and share with each of you without really being intimate with any of you. I can sit, read, laugh, smile, respond ... and when I need to, close the window. Ironically enough, that's probably why I won't ever leave LJ altogether. So -- is it a handicap? A lack of something essential?
I've found that I'm more comfortable with my friends in an electronic media. To be sure, there are disadvantages. I don't get to hug people or hold their hands. The physical contact just isn't there. On the other hand, I get to meet many, many wonderful people I wouldn't otherwise ever know. And, best of all, my friends are portable. I've picked up and moved on the average of once a year my entire life. Each time I've left behind the few friends I'd made, until I just stopped making friends to avoid the pain of leaving. My lack of social grace, exaberated by my lack of experience, has meant that I'm not very good company in person. My electronic relationships give me time to consider how to respond to a given comment or situation, and let me appear to be better than I am in person. Your statement is to the point. I hope you never leave LJ completely. A bit selfish on my part, perhaps; but for me, it's nice to know there are wonderful folks like you out there.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2002-10-22 12:23 pm (UTC)I've found that I'm more comfortable with my friends in an electronic media. To be sure, there are disadvantages. I don't get to hug people or hold their hands. The physical contact just isn't there. On the other hand, I get to meet many, many wonderful people I wouldn't otherwise ever know. And, best of all, my friends are portable. I've picked up and moved on the average of once a year my entire life. Each time I've left behind the few friends I'd made, until I just stopped making friends to avoid the pain of leaving. My lack of social grace, exaberated by my lack of experience, has meant that I'm not very good company in person. My electronic relationships give me time to consider how to respond to a given comment or situation, and let me appear to be better than I am in person. Your statement is to the point. I hope you never leave LJ completely. A bit selfish on my part, perhaps; but for me, it's nice to know there are wonderful folks like you out there.