Internet relationships seem fairly independent of age.Common interests play a larger part. Many, not all, of the people I regularly correspond with here are much younger than I am. In real life, we would probably not be friends. We would always be aware that a huge age gap separated us. The younger person would not feel free to speak as bluntly. The older person feels they can never be as hip. Know what I mean?
We only have an avatar to go by here or the writer's actual words so age begins to fade. Or am I kidding myself. Does age matter in Internet chatter? In real life, do you talk this much to people a generation removed from you other than family members?
18 comments:
Nearly everyone of my real world friends is a decode or older than myself so I don't think age matters to me regardless of the media.
The majority of the people I work with are younger than I am, a number half my age, so I'll have to say it matters in some ways, not in others.
In real life, most of my friends are older than I am. Also many of the people I work with are older too. No one retires now apparently; Bush made retirement impossible.
People don't seem to retire, that's true. They also seem to work every minute of the day.
We were talking on the weekend about how colleges in the 70's offered courses in "Liesure Studies" and wondered if they still do? The talk back then was all about how we'd have so much free time we wouldn't know what to do with it.
I wish we could blame one set of ideals, but the pressure seems to come from everywhere.
Back to your question, though, I think you're right. Most of my online friendships started with a shared interest and branched out from there. The age range is quite amazing. Sometimes I even talk to teenagers online, something I'm not often interested in doing in "real life."
It wasn't just Bush, Patti...it became utterly impossible to retire for entirely too many USians by the Reagan Era. And, yes, we are hardly working 9 to 5.
Oddly enough, I get the sense that most of the people I ocrrespond with are older than I, but that shifts from forum to forum.
People connect independently of age. I've known of some great friendships between mothers with young kids and elderly women, for instance. I think it's shared interests, and also bonding on a soul level. Which I do think is possible on the Internet.
The vast majority of my closest friends are older than I am. One friend only by a few years, but the rest are all well into their 40's (including my husband). It's been that way for as long as I can remember! Not that I don't get along with people my own age, but I just haven't really connected with any. Not sure why that is and I certainly wouldn't close my mind to the possibility.
I have freinds of all ages - it really doesn't matter to me.
Sam
Most of my students are half my age. Their cultural interests rarely reflect mine. Not sure what that says about possible friendship in a different context.
People on the Internet seem ageless--the only time I am aware of it is when they talk about the music they listen to. Books, movies and other interests seem to be less age-driven. But music really defines most people unless their interests transcends the current stuff. Now think of this Steven, my husband's students are 1/3 his age. That really stuffs it down your throat. Most or them don't remember the Clinton presidency.
Even though I have many older friends, I see your point. The internet can be the great equalizer when it comes to age, especially when there are common interests.
Patti:
I see you as a hot babe of 22.
Likewise. (But let's not tell Susan or Phil).
Patti: I find that my chummiest online friends are those that are close to my age. IMO, commonality drives relationships, online or off, and not just age. Similar taste in books is a biggie for me. And then there's politics....
Similar taste in movies, politics, books and I think you find these people easier online than inlife. You seek each other out.
Aside from one correspondant whose blog's name encapsulates his age, the only time I have ever considered age in blogging is the odd instance in which I have corresponded electronically with an author mother and her author child. This forces age into my consciousness, and I am struck by how odd this seems in the blog world.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Damn. I knew I should have kept to the pattinase nomenclature.
I have always been "old" in a lot of ways, so the Internet has nothing to do with it. I think it is the confluence of having older parents and my own temperament/personality. Funny thing is that my husband, who is younger than me, is also "old." People actually think he is much older than I am. Of course, now that we live in a community of retired people, everyone either thinks we are much much younger than we actually are or much much older...
Funny how that goes. Our friends in real life have always been older since my husband finished his education at an early age. My virtual friends tend to be younger though
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