The Limits Of Friendships By Maria Konnikova

Have you ever made any friends via Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat that you have never met before? I know I have through Twitter due to having the same interests. Some may say those friends are not really your friends, but virtual ones instead. In the article, “The Limits of Friendships,” by Maria Konnikova, she talks about friendships that are made virtually and in reality. The author argues that the use of social media has hindered friendships and face to face connections within one’s social circle, however, she does not address that they have met their closest support group through social media. Face to face connections help identify who one’s true friends are and they are more realistically made when it is in person rather than over social media, but there Konnikova fails to address the fact that social media has allowed many to connect

I believed her until I remember that I made my closest friends through social media. They were my support group; they were my best friends. There is always two sides to every argument and some may even firmly believe theirs is the only correct answer. There were strong points in Konnikova’s article, especially about the experiences shared together, but she missed that even though you may meet your friends online, you could meet up with them and have those shared experiences just like any other “real” friendship. “Your five today may not be your five next week: people drift among layers and sometimes falls out of them altogether” (236). Even though Dunbar’s number may be accurate, it does not exclude the fact that people drift through your life, mostly when it is convenient for them. Dunbar also does not exclude that this number is limited to only friendships made in person. Friendships are made everywhere, through in person or even online. You just have to share a common interest and your friendship starts