Letter… from the Publisher Redefining Relationships
I
recently hit 3,600 friends on Facebook and it really got me thinking about the meaning of friendship these days; you know, with the digital age and all. Does friendship really
mean what it used to? Lately I have more friend requests coming in on
Facebook than I can keep up with, but do all these people really want to be my friend or are they just interested in me because I have such a large network? When I had 100 friends I hardly ever got asked to be a friend; but once I reached 2,500 friends I have gotten as many as 40 requests in a day. So it leads me to ask the question, what really constitutes a friend in today’s society? You see, of the 3,600 friends on Facebook about 50 are probably really friends, 50 are clients, 60 are colleagues, several hundred are readers and the rest, well for most of them I am just someone to pitch their products and services…someone to network with. It would appear that the simplest form of human relationships, friendship, has been turned into a business opportunity for most people. Every day I am bombarded with offers from these friends to join their page, their website, buy their product, attend their workshop, or do some activity that will increase their opportunity to pitch me. We have essentially created an environment where the concept of
friendship is another way of saying, “What can you do for me today?” Is this where we really want to be; where everyone we meet is a networking opportunity? Is the new digital social world desensitizing us to human contact? Where is the real connection? Where is the emotion and care for another which bonds us in this human experience? Someone asked me who was my best friend recently and I was shocked when I had to pause in response. I suddenly realized that I didn’t have a best friend, not really. Because I am so open, honest and upfront with people I tend to treat everyone the same. I don’t have “A” best friend because every friend I have is treated as a best friend would be. I love and care for each and every friend I have. I make no distinction in that regard. Because of this I have no subcategory under friendship that says best friend. My point in what I am writing is that we are taking the humanity out of
human interactions when we begin to look at friendship and social standards as “what is in it for me” or “what can you do for me today?” As we begin to dehumanize ourselves this way we become nothing more than mindless, results driven, corporate clones who are truly devoid of any human connection at an emotional level, even if at some level we believe that we are being independent. We lose ourselves. It would seem to me as I have watched the fall of the economy, the banking system and now the corporate cover up that continues to be attempted by BP in regards to the gulf oil spill that this detached mindset does not work. In my personal observation the further we distance ourselves from the
human spirit, the worse things become, and the more we unite for a common good, the better things are. It is time to reconnect and rediscover the emotional ties that bind us together in human spirit. It is time to once again experience what is truly meant by friendship, community and true human connection. Please take the time each day to hug someone, to connect to the love inside you and connect to another human being without any motive other than just connecting and sharing with them. You might really be surprised.
Unity Church of
Jacksonville 634 Lomax Street (904) 355-5100
Rev. Eugene Lynch
Sunday Service 10:30 am Youth Ed & Nursery American Sign Language
Armand & Angelina in Concert July 21, 7:00 pm
Awesome Books!
Metaphysical & Spiritual Resources Books, CD’s, DVD’s, Cards, Gifts
Tues – Thurs 10am – 2 pm and Sundays 11:30 am
The Good Word Prayer Line (904) 355-7044
Freddie J. Zeringue Jr. WWW.NAJAX.COM
www.UnityJax.com July 2010
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