RIENDSHIPImage: mcdordor 2001 (flickr)

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The beginning of a new friendship... Two people meet and begin to talk to one

another in an attempt to get to know each other.

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The conversation is usually stimulated by a mutual interest such as music, love of a celebrity,

sports or cars

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In the past, these initial interactions have lead to further meetings as two people get to know each other. They

would talk over coffee or go on outdoor excursions developing a beautiful friendship.

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ENTER

A social media site that has revolutionized friendship as we know it

After that initial meeting, now people add each other as “friends” on social media sites such as

facebook so that they can view each others profiles and chat via wall posts or instant

messaging.

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Profiles provide instant information about one’s

Likes/Dislikes

Activities/Interests

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EDUCATION

… and much more

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One can learn more about someone from their online profile than from several in-person meetings.

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Image: Romolachea.net pic’s Image: Ed Yourdan (flickr)

Instead of going out to meet with people and chat in person, people are choosing to stay each in their own

space and chat with people online via social media sites.

THUS…

This is creating a new type of

VIRTUAL friendship

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This new type of friendship

allows people

to “Shut others off

when they don’t have the

time or the will” and

“control the intensity of

our connections”

- Professor Sherry Turkle in “The great disconnect: Using Facebook for

social distance”

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These virtual friendships can be classified as

shallowdisconnected

socially distant

individual

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“People are spending more time online and less time face-face”

- Craig Marcus, an executive creative director at McCann Erickson

Creating anti-social tendencies

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Some people can no longer express their feelings in person….

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Instead they hide behind screens and rely on cell phone texting, facebook or other social

media sites to tell people how they really feel - Jessica Bonheaur “study examines social media’s impact on student mental health,

interpersonal activity”

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Is this how a friendship should be?

isolated?

Dentyne recently created an ad campaign to inspire people to power down their technology

devices and meet face to face- “Log Off, Latch On, Make Facetime: Dentyne's New Campaign Turns Heads “

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The campaign is based on the idea that technology is good but it does not offer all

the benefits of being in person - Craig Marcus “Log Off, Latch On, Make Facetime: Dentyne's New Campaign Turns Heads”

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DISADVANTAGE: While talking online it is

difficult to detect ones tone, which can often create confusion

What distinguishes a

happy hello from a

sarcastic, upset or

angry one?

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Many friends experience disagreements online because of simple misunderstandings

“Nearly 70 percent [of surveyed students] have had an argument exclusively via text message,” – Jessica Bonheur “Study examines social media’s impact on student mental health, interpersonal activity”

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Then again, social media allows you to connect with

anyone, anywhere in the world at anytime

An easy and inexpensive way to keep in contact with friends and family that can not be seen everyday

Technology has changed friendship as we know itWhether good or bad YOU DECIDE

But the plain truth is Use social media, but don’t forget about the

importance of real contact

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