Real Life Friends?

So, if you've read the last post in my blog, you can probably tell that i like Harry Potter. But one of the things that has held my interest in the book over those years when all we could do was wait has probably been the crazy stuff on the internet. I remember first discovering fanfictions and being amazed by the writing, then discovering HP podcasts and going insane. But the best discovery by far has been Virtual Hogwarts.

It is one of the websites that I spend most of my time on these days. I'm constantly amazed by the incredible writing and graphic skills of the people on the site. But as well as their zomg!super!skillzzzz, I'm just in awe of what amazing people they are. Some of them have been on this site for 4 years. That's some decent commitment right there I say, and i applaud them for it. Personally, I joined on the 27th of December in 2005.

Lately there has been a topic conversation on the site based around whether people feel that others they know through VH are 'real life' friends, or just 'online' friends. Whether there is actually a difference, whether these are just categories that mean nothing, and whether you're able to be friends with someone who is on the other side of the world.

I know there are people who don't think that anyone from the website can be classified as 'real' friends. I also know people from the site who physically see each other all the time. And then, there are plenty of us, who, even if we haven't met people in 'real life', we talk to them all the time and we think of them as 'real' friends.

I think the site is predominantly used by Americans, though there are people from various countries [including a few here in Australia] But, regardless of whether any friendships I feel I have are 'online' or not, the people are still usually on the other side of the world. Because I've never seen these people, can they be classified as friends? Can I say that I know someone from VH? Can I talk to others about these people as if I saw them the other day?

I guess online friendship is a bizarre concept in its own. But with technology? I do think that you can feel friendship. I have a msn account that is purely for VH. In the last few months, I've found myself on there more than my 'real' msn. Also lately, I've found that I enjoy talking to people I've never met as much as the people I see every day. I've found out that I can easily work out the time difference for American EST (-14 hours plz). I've found out that writing, knowing someone you care about is going to reply with writing of their own, is one of the most enjoyable experiences.

Anais Nin said: "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
Sure, Nin probably wasn't talking about knowing people via a harry potter website, but that can quote can so easily be proven in VH. With other real people, you create stories, and you create a world through collaborative writing.

"Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behaviour between two or more humans." Again, this can so easily be placed in the context of a roleplaying website. It takes teamwork to write a roleplay! But I don't want to just go on about VH, because it's bigger than that. It's about people from VH that I always like talking to. It's about people that I care about, and it's about people that I refer to as friends.

The tendency to desire what is best for another, sympathy, empathy, honesty and understanding are important features in friendship. I can't talk on behalf of the people online that I call friends, but on my part, I do feel that these are aspects of our awesome msn conversations!

I think at this point, I feel like I have the right to call people friends. My mum constantly finds it odd when I talk about these people, and probably worries that I'm growing closer to random Americans that could be 'cyber bullies', [i have explained on numerous times that that is a ridiculous idea, though i think i've talked enough about them that they aren't a threat anymore] but they are the exact opposite. I've spoken to these people on Skype, I've sent them text messages across the world and I talk to them nearly every day. So are we allowed to be friends? If I want to go and study in another country because I adore people who live there, does that classify them as mates? If they can make me laugh out loud, can we call it a friendship? If I know what they look like and vice versa, are we 'real life' strangers?

I'm not about to go and marry someone I met in a dating chatroom, but I don't think location or lack of physical contact should stop people from being friends.

-Ellie xx

P.S Jordan & Teresa, ILY.