On Friendship in the Age of Social Networking

charlotte and elizabeth2 - smallEvery once in a while something happens in my day-to-day life – or someone tells me a story about an incident in his or hers – that makes me think about how we develop and maintain friendships. That happened again this past week when I got an email from an old friend. In our modern cyber world, we’re no longer restricted to forming acquaintanceships and deeper relationships with people who live in our neighborhood or general community. We no longer have to wait a week or more to receive a letter that was sent from across the country or the other side of the globe — email allows our correspondence to be nearly instantaneous. Cell phones and skyping make it simple to keep in touch in a more personal way with friends who aren’t nearby. And social networks, like Twitter and Facebook, facilitate introductions to people who share our interests (or who are just nice!) and that we never would have met otherwise.

I think of the Austen “communities” on blogs like ours and, also, on both Twitter and Facebook. I marvel at how just using the #Austen tag on a tweet is like a calling card saying, “Hey, I love JA’s writing! Who else is with me on this?” But these online social networks have done something else, too. They’ve expanded our ability to be social from our homes or our cars, even when we’re otherwise alone. They’ve given us the ability to share our knowledge with strangers in another time zone and to have endless streams of information shared with us in return. Of course, along with these potential pros, there are a few cons to such constant connections. One downside, in my opinion, is how difficult it can be to take a serious break from the Internet without people sending you messages asking, “Are you okay? It’s been 7 minutes and you still haven’t answered me…didn’t you get my email?” (I’m kidding, but only about the number of minutes… 😉 )

When I think of Austen’s story characters who were good friends — like Charlotte Lucas and Elizabeth Bennet — I wonder if their friendship would have been strengthened by the insertion of social media or if it would’ve caused its demise. Remember those letters Charlotte sent Elizabeth from Huntsford where she didn’t mention anything about her new life that she couldn’t praise? Would Charlotte have been able to refrain from letting a gripe or two about Mr. Collins or Lady Catherine slip by if confronted with a barrage of tweets, FB comments or private emails from Elizabeth? Would Elizabeth’s concern for her friend result in her sending texts or calling Charlotte on her iPhone when she was certain Mr. Collins was out tending his garden? Or, would the need Charlotte had to protect and defend the choices she’d made keep her from updating her status on Facebook or responding quickly to Elizabeth’s direct messages? In other words, would the sheer quantity of communication create more opportunities for honesty…or for socially acceptable deception?

I ponder these things. Usually after I’ve spent 2+ hours surfing the FB pages of my friends when I should have been writing…LOL.

But, while I can’t speak with any authority on Jane’s (or Jane’s characters’) reaction to social networking or its effects on that particular longstanding and very close personal friendship, I can say that — for myself — I’ve been surprised by its gifts. Yes, it can appear superficial at times, but I take most public commentary to be a conversation starter, not a complete dialogue. Over time, I think these short, quick interactions can lead to longer and more substantial ones if both parties are willing. And, yes, it’s very time-consuming — much more so than I’d expected when I first started blogging 5 years ago. But I’ve met MANY more wonderful people through my group/personal blogs, Twitter and Facebook than I would have ever imagined, and I’ve reconnected with friends I knew from years past, too. Just this week, in fact.

Most of the members of the Austen community I know only through our online conversations. Of my fellow writers that I have had the pleasure of meeting in person, Abigail is one of the few friends I’d met face-to-face before we interacted on the Web. (She helped to make the JASNA AGM in Chicago so very enjoyable — I’ll always be grateful!) And, though I hope to meet more of the contributors and the visitors to this blog in person someday, I find it impossible not to think of many of you as friends-in-the-making already. We may not know the ins and outs of each other’s daily lives or run into each other on a random Wednesday (and thank goodness for that! I’d hate for you all to see me in my “normal” state: old sweatshirts, stretchy yoga pants, fuzzy multicolored socks, hair that’s a curly disaster, no makeup, and gloves with cut-off fingertips because my hands are always cold in winter — the writing life is rarely glamorous!), but your comments here, your FB updates and your #FollowFridays always make me smile. They do, in fact, have a real (not only virtual) impact on my day. I think about the things you say when I’m away from my computer, and I’m glad to get to continue our conversations later – even if they’re in the form of 140-character tweets or “likes” on our FB walls. I’ve learned all kinds of fascinating things from you and gained new perspectives because…well, you’re interesting. You’re all a part of my world, and I appreciate each of you for being in it.charlotte and elizabeth1 - jpg

What are some qualities you love about your friends? For me, it’s a range of things: their genuineness, honesty, sense of humor, empathy/kindness toward others, open-mindedness, willingness to overanalyze books, music and movies for hours…online or in real life over coffee and cinnamon rolls! I’d love to hear about yours!!

 

007 Marilyn Brant--clipped

Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Contemporary Women’s Fiction and Romantic Comedy. She’s published eight novels to date, including ACCORDING TO JANE, which was a #1 Kindle Bestseller, won RWA’s Golden Heart Award and was named one of Buzzle.com’s “100 Best Romance Novels of All Time.” She also wrote PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, which was a Top 100 Bestseller on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And her latest novel, a coming-of-age romantic mystery called THE ROAD TO YOU, is just out!

31 comments on “On Friendship in the Age of Social Networking by Marilyn Brant”

    1. Sophia Rose
      Interesting thought to ponder about how historical characters would fare in our techno age.As to my thoughts on friendship? I have such an eclectic group of friends that I had to really think about this. I think my underlying trait that abso-must be present in a friend is honesty. My dearest friends might have very few visible commonalities with me, but I have an inquisitive mind and enjoy the challenge of appreciating someone utterly unlike me.Thanks for the discussion post!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Sophia,Yes…honesty is a big one with me, too! I love what you said about having an inquisitive mind and being able to appreciate someone who is unlike you. That is a wonderful quality. :razz:

    1. Liz
      I discovered blogs almost by mistake, while house bound after surgery. It has been a delight to share thoughts on books and the many topics books generate. Most refreshing are those bloggers who take the time, from very busy schedules, to respond and share their experiences. Nice attribute for a friend.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Liz,I’ve been amazed by how rapidly we can all find people who share our interests, thanks to the Internet. I used to be able to talk about Austen, for instance, with only a couple of high school friends. I couldn’t have been more stunned when I discovered there were huge online groups that loved discussing her work! And I always appreciate when I leave a comment on a blog and the writer answers, too. It feels like a conversation to me then :).

    1. Nina Benneton
      If they laugh at my jokes. That’s the quality I most love about dearest and closest friends, whether real life or virtual. Shallow of me, I know.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Nina, you have such a delightful sense of humor, I can’t imagine that anyone who knows you wouldn’t find your witticisms to be wonderful! ;)

    1. Jakki L.
      Isn’t it funny to think about all of these new friends and acquaintances we get from social networks? I am so thankful for blogs, Twitter, and FB as I have met some wonderful people, and made many new friends.I love honesty, trustworthiness and humor in my friends. As much as I don’t want to hear it sometimes, I love it when my best friend calls me out on things.Thanks for a great post! It would be interesting to see how Jane’s characters would take to all of this modern technology! :wink:

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Jakki,I’m so thankful for the friends I’ve made online, too! :razz:And, yes, isn’t it interesting to think about how today’s technology might have influenced the way JA’s characters would act or the direction of a storyline? (i.e., Lydia’s run off with Wickham! Can’t we just text her? Trace her credit cards? Track her whereabouts with the locator app on her cell phone?! LOL…) Then again, it’s nice to get a break from the modern world sometimes and just hang out in the early 1800s!

    1. Karen Doornebos
      Very interesting post, Marilyn! I have spent the past 3 hours on the internet unwittingly…! I especially loved your insight on Elizabeth and Charlotte, thank you.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Karen, ha! I know what you mean. Whole mornings have disappeared to blog hopping and Facebook commenting ;). Now I keep hearing about “pinterest” and am afraid to even look at it for fear of getting attached to yet another site…

    1. Jennifer Leiker
      It has been wonderful to meet new people via Facebook, especially the ones who have such an admiration for Jane Austen. I have a few friends locally that share the same enthusiasm but not as much as me. I have enjoyed finding Auten Authors and reading and finding out about more spin-offs and what if’s. Like you even though we have never met in person I consider you and many others ‘kindred spirits’, and friends that I am most welcomed to have. I look forward to posts about anything from the authors I have friended on Facebook and hearing about the where they live and what’s going on even if it is just about the weather. It opens my mind to more than just what is around me here and now. Thank you everyone!!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Jennifer,I *love* the phrase “kindred spirits” and thank you for thinking of all of us here in that way!! I really feel similarly :) , and I’ve truly enjoyed getting an insight into the world of other Austen fans over these past few years!!

    1. Pamala Knight
      I too, have a love/hate relationship with technology and the internet. On the one hand, I’ve made some LOVELY friends via the web and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. PLUS, I get to be lazy and order my favorite books online and have them delivered immediately which I love. On the other hand, if I didn’t waste so much time surfing, reading, or whatever then I wouldn’t have had to install Mac Freedom so that I can get anything done lol. Overall though, I count things in the win column and hopefully Austen’s characters would too. I think that Emma would have the most Facebook friends and the largest group of twitter followers ;-)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Pamala, my dear, you know I have to credit YOU for being the one who introduced me to my first online Austen community!! You opened my eyes to a whole new world in the summer of 2008 ;). But I, too, have spent my share of online time surfing a little too much. I’m pretty sure I could have written at least one more novel per year if I hadn’t been blogging and tweeting quite so often… And LOL about Emma & her FB friends and Twitter followers!! I know you’re right about that…

    1. Monica P
      I still don’t have a FB but I have enjoyed tweeting way more than I ever thought I would. It’s like texting strangers who, after awhile, don’t really feel like strangers anymore. At least some of them, like my fellow Austenites.I have a pretty eclectic group of friends, and I can get along with almost anyone, but a sense of humor is a must. I am very goofy and I love making people laugh.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Monica, I know just what you mean!! I rarely text anyone in my day-to-day life (just a few very close friends), but when I’m on Twitter, it feels exactly like what you said: It’s as though we’re texting strangers until they’re no longer strangers. Like we’ve managed to text them right into a casual acquaintanceship! It’s such a weird thing, really — but, yet, I’m enjoying it, and it’s brought some very fun moments :).

    1. Candy M
      I have made some wonderful friends online! I’ve met some of them in person and hope to meet more of you! I was getting a little frustrated not having anyone to talk to about the books I love to read, so I was thrilled to find so many of you online! I’m also a homebody, if I can have it delivered I will. I was shopping on etoys before amazon was around. lol! You can even find a book club online!I wonder about Liz and Charlotte. But I don’t have time to elaborate! I have to cook dinner! Talk to you later, friends!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Candy, isn’t that such a great thing about finding an Austen community?! I’d actually written According to Jane and had it under contract before I knew there were online groups that talked about JA. I was amazed! But I suspect the discovery was just as wonderful for many of my in-person friends as it was for me…because they were SO sick of hearing me randomly quote lines from Austen novels! “Yes, Marilyn. That’s GREAT that you can recite that WHOLE Pemberley scene verbatim (*rolling eyes*). Why don’t you go and email your Austen people about that, hmm?!” :razz:

    1. Stephanie L
      I have a few very close friends that have known me for an eternity and we still have to talk on the phone as well as the other modern things, but I’m amazed at how FB/Twitter has united the world into one conversation. I agree with Pamela that Emma would def have had the biggest Twitter following LOL I think Charlotte would have carefully worded her fb posts. I think it would have been that socially acceptable deception. With her choice of silly husband (or even with the P&P200 version of necessary evil) she would want to maintain the attitude and outlook befitting a ministers wife. JMOI for one am deeply thankful for online blogs, because without it I would have no one to discuss Jane with. Thank you all for your electronic contributions to my world!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Stephanie,I loved the way you phrased it: “united the world into one conversation.” Yes! It feels very much like that, doesn’t it? And I’m inclined to agree with you on Charlotte. Maybe I’m underestimating her willingness to be more open with Elizabeth, but I don’t think she was ready for that kind of candor early in her marriage to Mr. Collins… It’s interesting to reflect on it, though, and to try to figure out where there might be similarities to that Charlotte/Elizabeth dynamic in my own interactions ;).

    1. Abigail Reynolds
      Marilyn, I was just thinking a few days ago about meeting you at the Chicago AGM. I met Karen Doornebos there, too – she was doing a poster presentation – and now we’re all here together. Though we met first in person, I met you through Pamala, whom I first met in an online community. It’s wonderful how we can connect in so many ways now, but like many others, I let the internet distract me far too much. I keep telling myself to learn some discipline, but it never works!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Abigail, I didn’t know Karen D. was there, too! It would have been so nice to have met her then as well :). And, as I was writing this post, I was thinking about the chronology of when I first met Pamala in person vs. chatted with her online. I know she joined Chicago-North and we emailed as well, so if our interactions were online first, it wasn’t long before we got to meet face to face. But the way you two and Elaine got to know each other was wonderful, and I felt very honored and fortunate to be included in your little group! As for the Internet…today I’m going to get offline in the next half hour, and I’m going to WRITE and not surf the ‘net! Yes, I am!

    1. AngieK
      I think I’m a lot like Darcy that I have an easier time communicating by writing than in person. ‘It cannot be helped…’

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Angie,I usually feel the same way!! I like having the freedom to read over what I’ve written and make sure it comes as close as possible to expressing what I really want to say…but I have friends (and am married to a man) who would MUCH rather talk than write anything ;).

    1. Susan Mason-Milks
      Well, this is Day 2 of being stuck in the house because of a snow storm that’s now turned into an ice storm. If I didn’t have the internet to connect me with the outside world, I’m seriously not sure what I’d do! It’s scary to be so dependent!I met some of the other Austen Authors via the internet which led to meeting some of them in person – and here I am with new friends and part of the group!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Oh, Susan, I’m so sorry to hear about the snowstorm! I’ve been seeing news reports that we’ve got another winter storm about to hit Chicago, so I’m bracing myself for that… I hope the roads get cleared out for all of you soon so you won’t be stuck inside much longer. And I know what you mean about being dependent on these Internet connections. When we’ve lost power and I couldn’t get online, I was a wreck! :razz:

    1. Alyssa Goodnight
      You’ve hinted at a definite downside of social media, Maryilyn: no tea (or coffee) and cinnamon rolls! That said, I really enjoy my time on social media too, although I think I spend WAY too much of it! But I’ve been thrilled to discover some new friends, and also some acquaintances that may, one day soon, become friends themselves. :)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Alyssa,Seriously, I need to have those cinnamon rolls delivered to my house when I’m online ;). Today, I took myself off the Internet for several hours because I hadn’t had much time to actually write since my new book came out. I’ll admit, I got quite a bit more work done when I wasn’t popping over to Twitter and FB every ten minutes…but now I feel as though I missed half a day of conversations!

    1. Vera Nazarian
      Marilyn, it really is true, we are living in a four-dimensional social world! ;-)The fourth dimension is of course virtual, and it has become such a large part of our daily lives that it’s amazing to imagine how Jane and her characters could have handled it all… friendships and constant “mind-contact!”

    1. Marilyn Brant
      Vera,I haven’t heard it referred to as four-dimensional before, but the idea of that 4th dimension being virtual is so interesting!! Thank you for sharing this with me ;). There’s definitely quite a lot of “mind-contact” these days, as you so aptly called it!

    1. rainakochan
      i think they would be fascinated by the our cyber world and how fast the communication and travel is possible

18 comments

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    • Rita Watts on February 11, 2014 at 10:58 pm
    • Reply

    Marilyn,

    What a great post! I enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoy talking with my fellow Janeites on Facebook. I cannot tell you how much they enrich my life. I live far from my family – I guess you know I am from Brazil – so this social networking plays a very important part of my life. What a fun idea to imagine Elizabeth and Charlotte Facebook pages and interactions!

    1. Rita,
      Yes! I knew you were from Brazil, but I hadn’t realized what a big part Facebook and social networks were for you 🙂 . It’s actually amazed me many times when I start thinking about how many online friends I have that live in countries aside from mine — friends in the UK, continental Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, etc. I’ll often be up too late at night in Chicago and posting something, thinking that no one will see it until the morning, but of course, it’s already morning in so many other places, LOL. I’ve found it SO delightful to get to immediately chat with Austen friends and other people across the globe just because we now have this incredible technology. Thank you for being one of those friends!!

        • Rita Watts on February 13, 2014 at 1:10 am
        • Reply

        You’re welcome. I have used Facebook since 2008 but it was not until 2011 when I found the Janeite world that it became essential to my daily life. Who else can understands the pangs of being a Janeite? Only another one, right? It got worse in 2012 when I started the page http://www.facebook.com/allthingsjaneausten. Things got a little out of control. I wanted to do nothing else in my spare time. The husband had to make an “intervention” LOL. Then I slowed down but the amount of people responding to my page was fantastic. It just passed 7,000 fans and I couldn’t be more delighted connecting with people from places like Hungary or Pakistan, Greece and Latvia. The Jane Austen Power still amazes me. It shouldn’t but it does. The technology increased her power exponentially and we are all richer for it! Thanks for being one of those friends, as well!

        1. Rita,
          The Jane Austen Power is an amazing, wondrous thing!!
          And I love your All Things Jane Austen FB page, btw! You’ve done a fabulous job with it. I’m one of those 7,000+ fans 🙂 .

    • Wendy Roberts on February 11, 2014 at 11:30 pm
    • Reply

    Social media is a double-edged sword, but I like to dwell on the good side of it. Without groups like Facebook and Twitter (and various fan fiction sites), I would never have connected with so many people who share my interests. Most of my RL friends are not interested in the same things as me, so it is wonderful to be able to chat with and share with others. As well, I have been able to connect with friends and family that I had long ago lost touch with via the standard method of communications. As an introverted person, it has widened the world. By the way, don’t be embarrassed of your fingerless gloves. I have Reynaud’s and wear such things so often that most people don’t even look twice at them anymore. And of course, socks to bed!

    1. Wendy,
      You’re definitely right!! Social media is a double-edged sword. It can be dangerous for those people who aren’t as discreet as they should be online. And it’s a black hole of time drainage for most everyone. In my case, I know, I *know* I should be writing right now (or sleeping — it’s after 11pm here), but I tell myself, “I’ll just peek in on FB one more time…and visit the AVA blog just to see if there are any new comments…and…” Soon, hours have gone by, LOL. I’m an introvert, too (and I’m currently wearing my fingerless gloves — I have them in 3 colors now 🙂 ), but I feel as you do about the way social media opens up the world. Even all these years later, I’m still amazed at how an Austen community like ours could come into existence, filled with readers from all over. It’s been quite a gift to have a place like this where we can share of our of JA and her writing!

        • Wendy Roberts on February 12, 2014 at 12:42 am
        • Reply

        Likewise! It is 10:38pm here and time for bed, but…..just let me check one more…. LOL I am not sure how many fingerless gloves, arm warmers, etc I have! Anyway, time for bed, for real this time! Good night!

        1. LOLOL, Wendy!!
          Hope you got a good night’s rest 😉 .

    • schilds on February 12, 2014 at 12:06 pm
    • Reply

    I have had a deep love of Jane Austen’s work for years. Being able to talk with others who share my passion is wonderful. I have no one where I live to really share my thoughts with when it comes to books. I truely enjoy being part of this community.

    1. schilds~
      I’m glad you’re here!! And I think we’re all definitely in the right place here when it comes to sharing the love of Austen… I’m fortunate that my husband (because he double majored in English and history) had an appreciation for P&P and had read the book, but I only have a handful of friends in real life who’d read one of her novels and even fewer who were JA fans — at least until I joined JASNA and met all of you wonderful people online, too 😀 .

    • Carole in Canada on February 12, 2014 at 12:45 pm
    • Reply

    Interesting post Marilyn. I’m one who is not on FB or Twitter either. I have gotten a ‘smartphone’ which I enjoying using to text my family though and send/receive pictures on. I email and ocassionally still write letters to lifelong friends and of course family. I do love connecting with everyone on this wonderful blog site and having a common interest in anything Jane Austen!

    As for how our literary characters would take to this social networking, I agree that Charlotte would be very careful with what she posts and Emma would be on it constantly!

    1. Carole~
      Oh, my goodness, yes!! Emma with a social media account of any kind would be a fearsome creature indeed, LOL. My younger brother is someone who also isn’t on either Facebook or Twitter. He’d tried FB, found it was too time consuming for him and, also, hated that it could be hacked. So he deleted his account. But he’s in a profession (statistics) where he focuses his attention on emails and conference calls where everyone is analyzing data. In his free time, he’s an athlete and runs — a lot!! So, for his passions, he’s interacting with a lot of people daily already and probably feels less of a need to connect with like-minded friends around the globe than I do 🙂 .

      BTW, I love that you still write letters! I have a friend I made when I visited Australia back when I was 20. She was in her late 60s then, and now is in her early 90s (!!) and she’s not into email or any social media. So we still write letters back and forth, and I cherish every one. It’s still so exciting to get a personal note in the mailbox!!

    • Anji on February 12, 2014 at 6:01 pm
    • Reply

    Marilyn, I love this post and I have a suspicion you have a webcam looking at me when I’m “relaxing at home”. The outfit you describe is a more or less exact match to mine, even down to the fingerless gloves. Mind you, I often need the full finger ones at times!

    Social media….hmmmmm. I’ve only really just got going with FB in the last few months and can see how it could take over your life if you’re not careful. As to Twitter, I’m not going there for now. Maybe when I retire. Or maybe not. Hubby won’t ever go there with the whole social media thing, from what he’s said.

    We have friends all over the world where the preferred method of communication for both sides is by good old-fashioned snail mail. The letters may be word processed on a computer and laser or ink jet printed nowadays, but they can run to several pages of A4. It gives us and them a chance to have a good old ponder over things we’ve all said and experienced recently; to answer and ask questions and just have a good old waffle on about stuff and things! You can’t always (or indeed, ever) do these on FB, Twitter, Skype and such like.

    However, I’ve just discovered this place. Now, I’ve had a very careful count up of people I know who appreciate the works of Jane Austen. After several attempts, I only got as high as ONE. She sat with me through a horrific thunderstorm (in Yorkshire, in August) at an open air production of P & P a few years ago but sadly we’ve lost touch in recent times, so it’s now down to zero. So you folks, writers and readers, are a wonderful discovery. I’m also quite new to the world of JAFF and variations. Now, I have rapidly growing wish list for my iPod (to listen to when I have a driving commute or cooking) and Kindle (for when I have a public transport commute or just want a good sit down read) – yes I’m a gadget freak, too.

    I think Lydia Bennet would be one of those terribly indiscreet people one comes across who would Tweet or post every last thing she did, even down to her elopement, just as they left Brighton. Jane would always be cautious and not show her true feelings (of course), Kitty would be a toned-down Lydia, Mary probably very serious (or try to appear so) but Elizabeth, to my mind, might not want to get involved at all. Not because she’s reluctant to try things but due to the “first impressions” feeling. The men of P & P are more difficult to read and I’d love to see suggestions about them.

    Better go now, it’s 11pm here and the internet has just eaten into the evening yet again.

  1. Anji,

    Thank you so much for your long and thoughtful reply!! And I’m so glad I have a twin (right down to the gloves!) just across the ocean, LOL! These are the kinds of fun things we can discover about each other through online dialogue 🙂 . Part of what’s so interesting and delightful about it to me is — really and truly — that the more we learn about each other (even silly little details), the more we realize that, in so many ways, we’re all far more alike than we are different. I love that!

    I very much enjoyed reading your speculations about what the Bennet sister might do in regards to social media. Lydia, oh heavens!!! Yes, I think “terribly indiscreet” would be the perfect description! 😀

    As far as knowing people who appreciate the works of Austen, in everyday life, many of us know only a handful in our respective regions…but the virtual world will amaze you by comparison! Hundreds of us just on the Facebook page for Austen Variations and the several other Austen-related sites… It’s such a wonder to be able to connect like this!! Welcome to the Austen community!

    • Deborah on February 13, 2014 at 12:05 pm
    • Reply

    I find it interesting on your perspective on how each of the Bennet sisters would’ve handled social networking and I agree with your assessment. I find it a great way to communicate with people who share my reading interests…very few people I personally know read or enjoy what I do….glad to have found Austen Authors and thank everyone who has continued onto this site. I also had the experience at getting to know other people who are interested in alternative energy for vehicles, etc….especially fuel cells and have met people through social networking who are also interested…especially in hydrogen… and made fast friends thousands of miles away…people I also never would have met…

    1. Deborah,
      Thank you so much for reading my post and taking time to comment, too. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And I’m truly thrilled that our global technology has given us all a way to converse. Some of the most bighearted and supportive people I’ve ever met anywhere are those I’ve become acquainted with through the Austen community — both writers and readers alike!
      🙂

    • Chanpreet on February 14, 2014 at 11:29 pm
    • Reply

    You raise a valid point Marilyn. I don’t think relationships would have been the same if they had one social media outlet let alone the 16 or so we have now.

    1. Chanpreet~
      Exactly! I just think back (not even so long ago) to the 1980s when I was in high school…versus today when my son is a teen. It’s just SO different — not only interacting with your friends but, also, with a potential love interest. I feel like I grew up in the Dark Ages sometimes. I mean, we actually wrote NOTES to each other, on paper and everything, LOL. And if a guy was interested in a girl (or vice versa) and one called the other one on the phone, there was no backpedaling on the intention. You didn’t call someone without a reason. Maybe a guy would call a girl if they were working on a class project together, or if one needed to pass along some extracurricular club information to the other. But if you called to just chat…it was because you LIKED that person. Nothing vague about it. These days, with FB updates, tweets and especially texting, it can be *really hard* to get a read on whether a girl/guy wants to talk to YOU…or if she/he just wants to TALK virtually. A LOT has changed in only 30 years… I can’t imagine what JA would make of all this 200 years after her era. 😉

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