Question

3. How does the author develop her argument in “Face-to-Face vs. Virtual Friends?” Is the reasoning sound? Is the supporting evidence sufficient and relevant? Why or why not? (4 pts)

Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Answer 1

Face-to-Face vs. Virtual Friends

(1) In a digital world, opportunities to connect with other people abound. We e-mail recipes, text funny jokes, leave rambling voice messages, write opinionated blog posts, and send digital birthday cards.

(2) Some of us boast online “friends” in the thousands who routinely “like” our comments about politics and pop culture. In turn, we “like” pictures of their dogs in holiday sweaters and photos of them with their friends doing fun and exciting things.

(3) Are these friends we can depend on? What if we get stranded at the library during a storm and can’t reach anyone at home? How many of these friends would we feel comfortable calling to ask for help? More important, of those we might call, how many would help us in this situation? A real friend is someone for whom we feel affection or personal regard. It’s the person who helps us when we’re in need.

(4) Despite our social interactions with a stream of online acquaintances, studies show that we are lonelier than ever. According to Relationships Australia, a community-based support services organization, people under age 35 are the most active online communicators. Yet, they report feeling more isolated and lonesome than any other age group.

(5) Authentic friendships involve sharing our deepest secrets and dreams with the people we trust most. This sort of sharing doesn’t happen with our long lists of virtual friends. But despite their online friendships, many people find it difficult to have authentic friendships and are lonely. To some, it may be easier to communicate online. They may lack social skills and have trouble initiating a conversation with someone new. Or, they may find it easy to meet people but haven’t developed the skills to maintain friendships. Others may be highly sensitive and are easily hurt when someone is thoughtless. They may take things too personally, so they avoid personal interaction with people they don’t know very well.

(6) In the 1960s, a study was done at the University of California, Los Angles (UCLA). Professor Albert Mehrabian and his colleagues determined that only 7 percent of communication between people is through the written or voiced word. Fifty-five percent is through body language, and 38 percent is through tone of voice. Real communication doesn’t come from reading others’ words on a screen. It comes from hearing their voices and the tone in which they say things. The look in their eyes, their gestures, facial expressions, and body language provide additional cues to their meaning. True friends have a physical connection. They cry on each other’s shoulders and hug each other with affection. When they hear exciting news, they grasp hands and jump up and down. So if we try to forge new friendships or maintain existing ones based on digital media only, our nonverbal cues disappear. The use of abbreviations, a few quick words, and emoticons may not truly convey what we want to say. And they may not provide the kind of comfort or emotion that our friends need to hear, see, and feel. If our only contact with some of our friends is through social media because of distance or time constraints, then those relationships may suffer.

(7) It’s important to have real person-to-person conversations to maintain friendships. One hazard of communicating with friends electronically instead of talking with them in person or over the phone is that when people dash off a comment or a response, the nuances of their meaning may be lost. If they respond in a curt sentence or phrase, the receiver of the e-mail may misunderstand the writer’s meaning and become offended. When someone e-mails a question, and the recipient delays responding because he or she is unsure how to answer, the sender may think the other person doesn’t care. In face-to-face communication, there might be a response such as “I don’t know” or “Can I get back to you on that?” A concerned look or shrug of the shoulders will also let a friend know that the other person is listening. But not responding to an e-mail is similar to walking away from a person and saying nothing. They don’t know if they have been heard. Through digital media, misunderstandings can happen and feelings can get hurt.

(8) Social media is, however, a good way to stay in touch with friends and family who live far away. It also allows us to reconnect with people we’ve lost touch with. But if we focus more on the people online than those who are physically nearby, or if we allow our friends who are in close proximity to become online friends only, then we have a problem. We can maintain those online friendships, but we should never substitute them for real friendships with people we can talk to and do things with in person. Some in-person relationships may be difficult. But they are more likely to result in positive experiences and provide opportunities for us to grow.

(9) True friendship will save us from loneliness. When we are going through a difficult time, it’s our friends who pull us through. It’s not only their words that help us; it’s also a reassuring smile that everything will be okay and a warm hug that will make us feel loved and comforted. This is something a smiley emoticon will never be able to do. It cannot replace genuine human interaction. Virtual friends will never meet our need for human touch.

(10) We need to shut off our computers and phones and make an effort to get out there and connect with people in person.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

She develops it by giving evidence about why its good to have virtual friends but better to have face to face friends. The supporting evidence sufficient and relevant because she compares the relationships and gives evidence why its better to have face to face friends. in her paragraph "Despite our social interactions with a stream of online acquaintances, studies show that we are lonelier than ever. According to Relationships Australia, a community-based support services organization, people under age 35 are the most active online communicators. Yet, they report feeling more isolated and lonesome than any other age group." It makes the reader understand more of what the author is trying to say and maybe changed the readers point of view on virtual and face to face friendships.

Answer 5

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