42.Friendship, social media

Q1 Do you still keep in touch with your friends from childhood?

Ans- No, I don't have any childhood friends I still talk to. The thing is, when I was a kid, I wasn't really building deep friendships. At that age, you don't have much of a personality yet... you're still figuring yourself out... so it's basically impossible to form real, meaningful connections. You know, mostly, you just play with whoever happens to be around... the same kindergarten, the same playground. It's all about circumstances, not real friendship. As I got older, things naturally changed. With some people, even though we still lived in the same neighborhood, the connection slowly faded. We just didn't click anymore because I started choosing friends differently... based on shared values and interests. With others, we lost touch earlier, when someone moved away or switched schools. We were too young to really keep in touch... no phones, no social media. And honestly, even if we had phones, we wouldn't have known how to use them properly at that age. Later on, I tried to find some of them, but there were a lot of people I simply couldn't track down. And with the ones I did reconnect with, it turned out we were just too different. We didn't have much in common anymore, and the conversations felt awkward and forced. That's why now I don't have any childhood friends I'm still close to.

Q2 What's the difference between having younger friends and older friends?

Ans- Honestly, I don't think age really matters when it comes to friendship. I mean, sure, people like to say younger friends bring more energy and older friends have more experience, but in real life, it's way more about the person than their age. I know people in their twenties who are super wise and calm, and I've met people in their fifties who have more energy than most teenagers. It's really about mindset and personality... not about when you were born. Some younger people have already been through a lot and have a really mature outlook on life, while some older people are still figuring things out. Same with energy. It's not guaranteed that someone young will be more active or open-minded.

Q3 Has technology changed people's friendships? How?

Ans- Absolutely. I think technology has completely changed how people build and maintain friendships. These days, it's so much easier to stay in touch. You can send a quick text, share a meme, or jump on a video call no matter where you are. Social media also helps you feel connected to a lot of people at once, even if you don't talk every day. And what's great is, long-distance friendships aren't such a big deal anymore because messaging apps and video calls make it feel like your friends are still close by. On the flip side, some people say friendships have become a bit more shallow. You know, it's easy to just like someone's post or comment without really having a deep conversation. I guess technology makes friendships more flexible, but at the same time, it's a bit harder to find those deep, real connections. Still, I think overall, it's amazing how technology lets us keep old friendships alive and even make new ones with people we might never meet in real life.

Q4 What do you think of communicating via social media?

Ans- To be honest, I think social media is a great way to stay in touch, especially with people you don't see every day. Like, you can just send a quick message, react to their stories, or even just leave a comment, and it still feels like you're connected. It's super low-effort but still meaningful in a way. Of course, it's not the same as meeting up in person or having deep talks, but it works... especially when life gets busy. I've got friends I haven't seen in years, but we still kind of keep up with each other just by liking each other's posts or sending memes. So yeah, I think it has its downsides, but overall, it makes friendships easier to maintain.

Q5 Will online social media replace face-to-face communication?

Ans- Oh no, I don't think it will ever happen as, to my mind, individuals recognize a clear distinction between social interaction and social media and understand that there's no substitute for in-person interaction. Social media are more akin to people watching than social interaction. They don't create a sense of community as well as don't encourage active engagement and participation. While physical meetings make a connection between people and build trust which makes problem solving much more efficient. Also, face-to-face communication reduces misunderstandings as the ability to see each other helps people understand each other better. So, the way I see it, face-to-face conversations will always remain the predominant form of socializing.

Q6 Is it necessary for kids to have some close friends?

Ans- Well, I guess 'yes' as close friends make the world go round for many kids. They give them unconditional support and make them feel more secure. What is more, it is easier for kids to face the world when there are two or more of them. Close friendship gives kids a sense of being connected, validates their behaviour and who they are, and makes life easier and more fun. So, to my mind, it's definitely worth having close friends.