While it can be said that communication has been hindered by the explosion of online communication, I contend that communication has been helped more than its been hurt. For instance, when I packed up and moved away from Arizona to spend time with my aunt and uncle in Massachusetts, I was still able to talk to and even "see" my family & friends via webcam without running up a huge telephone or travel bill. Frankly, I think the homesickness would have eaten away at me if not for the visitation the Internet provided.
The word "friend" has not been cheapened; rather it has been expanded. No longer are we relegated to becoming friends only with those who are already in our town, city, or neighborhood -- the world has become an extension of these communities, allowing like-minded people to connect through the virtual world on the web.
I liken this battle to the one waged every Christmas, at least in my family, when someone (generally some time into retirement) is offended when a young relative mails a mass-printed greeting card with no handwritten, personal message. It's a difference of perspective, and eventually time will tell which gains the upper hand.
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