RE: Real Talk About Friends On Steem... Or Lack Thereof
Why are so many people so damn shy or scared around here?
🤔
I think the answer to your question is multifaceted.
Some people are on steemit out of fear. They are afraid of Facebook and Instagram and people knowing their business. They are off the grid and distrustful and use steemit to share non mainstream ideologies with like minded folks.
I think the older a person becomes real life gets in the way of turning internet friends into real friends. Real life obligations to spouses and kids and work mean less personal freedom. If your spouse thinks meeting “strangers” from online is weird... then you don’t get to meet online friends.
Plus,there are generational differences in how folks use the internet. My dad will barely buy things online because he doesn’t want his credit card info stolen let alone meet a person from online! 😂🤣 My generation will have Facebook and Instagram but generally lock that sh-t down so only friends and family can see. People younger often have all of that open to the public but use social media to build their personal brand. (These are BIG generalizations of course, but do show varying levels of trust towards the internet in general which could influence how open a person is to making friends online.)
And there is the “stranger danger” risk. It can take awhile to know if a person is who the represent themselves to be. So until that risk has been satisfied people won’t meet.
All of this being said, meeting Steemit people is GREAT! I have met six folks so far and every time has been fun. I think it helps that I am part of a tight knit steem community. We have built trust, exchanged gifts, chat on discord all the time and have gotten to know one another online over time. I think discord is a way better way to get to know people than steemit comments. Discord is more conversational and replies are instant. I also think when people see other folks meet and see that it went well... they get FOMO and want to join in too.
Making one or two good, real friends on Steemit is way more valuable than the steem we earn. I definitely have earned a real friend here. Would 20 others be good? Sure, but just getting one is the best thing about this platform. I feel really lucky.