I love the internet

If it weren't for the internet, I'm fairly certain I would be more of a loner than I am now. Either that or it's socially crippled me by giving me an easy way out. But I'll assume its a blessing not a curse when it comes to networking.

Today, for the second day in a row, I have decided I want to go for a bike ride and in a matter of minutes, gotten 3 or 4 other guys to ride with me. Guys I wouldn't have known to begin with without the internet. Granted, I met one other fixed gear rider at school just by running into him, but in such a large community, it's often hard to find people you have things in common with. Especially for people like me who dislike so many people for so many different reasons.

Douchebags, all of them I swear.

Anyways, I realized today that I have made alot of contacts that have become friends, and important parts of my life, in one way or another through the internet.

I guess thats the world we live in, where it's normal to meet your girlfriend, and even your spouse, online. Where EVERYONE has a profile on at LEAST one social networking site (usually more like 2 or 3)

Granted, I wasn't really around (in this capacity) before the internet was manifested in one way or another, so I can't vouch for how things used to be. Where clubs, groups and communities had to actually meet at one physical location, at a set time in order to make any real contact. Maybe thats the key, maybe we, for the most part, are devoid of any REAL contact, at least in the sense that I'm referring to here. Maybe social networking serves to do little besides make us less social in the real world. Or maybe it instills in us a sense of confidence with the fact that we are connected with everyone at all times, and so the consequence of one faux pax isn't as dire as it might once have been.

At any rate, I can say right now that if it weren't for the internet (that great, mysterious lover and simultaneous monster) I wouldn't have people to ride with so often, and for that I'm thankful.

Here's to technological advances and collective societal nerdiness.