This is Real

I rail a lot, probably too much, about how we use and abuse technology for less than noble purposes. That is, instead of using connectivity and convergence to further collaboration and attack and overcome pandemics like world hunger, poverty and drought, we send one another knock-knock jokes or write brave little screeds about how we waste the potential of our tools. Oh dear, that was awkward.

Moving right along. I met someone on line yesterday who is a Facebook friend of someone (else) who is a Facebook friend of mine, whom I shall never meet. He, in turn, is a Facebook friend of someone I did meet, once years ago. None of us are the same people we were when we met, or didn't back then or now. I shan't meet yesterday's new friend either because they live in Ghana which I had to look up to learn anything more than don't call it The Gold Coast (an inside joke for us Connecticans that is often too hip for the room) and because FB friends are like morning dew in daylight.

They used to live in Canada and how they came to be in Ghana is, with a variation of destination and destiny, much the same tale each of us has as to how we got to where we are without ever addressing the why. The story intended to put one at ease, however, creates more questions than it answers but though it is probably fiction that's not the larger point.

We all know people from on line communities who used to live elsewhere, except we don't really know. What we've done is made the acquaintanceship of others on line who've told us they are from somewhere else and we've chosen, to a point, to accept those stories, or not..When all is said and done, nothing is said or done. Round and round goes the gossip and fills up the day. I think I see the point of no return on the road sign up ahead.

I'll assume on occasion, like me, you have difficulties making flesh and blood (F&B) friends-the Facebook (FB) kind are rarely the same people as in 'real life.' It's the struggle to keep the realms separate and the ability to know when they can be joined that makes so much of what we do and who we are as interesting and intriguing as it is and not just another ghost that slips right through your hands. And whatever we learn today is equal parts history and mystery by this time tomorrow when we start again.
-bill kenny