Some people draw this big belabored distinction between "online friends" and those one has actually met in real life. I don't!
But the distinction's there, though. I just didn't draw it.
I mean, is it offensive to apply an accurate adjective to a person? It's a pretty straight process. It requires no really judgmental activity on one's part. Just a smidge of comprehension on what the term means, plus a simple observation: "hey, there's one now!" It's not like you forcibly forced it on there. It just applied.
I mean, would I say: "I divide my friends up, according to the terms that apply to them"? Probably not - that sounds stupid. But neither would I say: "these terms that apply...don't apply." That sounds stupid too, but worse than that - it would BE stupid.
Damn. This hasn't even really addressed the crux of the whole point I was going to try to make on the topic at all.
Looks like a job for Part 2.
But the distinction's there, though. I just didn't draw it.
I mean, is it offensive to apply an accurate adjective to a person? It's a pretty straight process. It requires no really judgmental activity on one's part. Just a smidge of comprehension on what the term means, plus a simple observation: "hey, there's one now!" It's not like you forcibly forced it on there. It just applied.
I mean, would I say: "I divide my friends up, according to the terms that apply to them"? Probably not - that sounds stupid. But neither would I say: "these terms that apply...don't apply." That sounds stupid too, but worse than that - it would BE stupid.
Damn. This hasn't even really addressed the crux of the whole point I was going to try to make on the topic at all.
Looks like a job for Part 2.
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