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Seven Reason Smackdown-Part 2

Alright guys, as promised, Part 2 of our Seven Reason Smackdown.  I’m sick, I’m exhausted, and this post is being typed from underneath the kitten who has so kindly positioned herself on top of my wrists, but nonetheless, let’s rant, people!

#2. We don’t have enough annoying friends, either.

Um…excuse me?

The author’s argument is that thanks to inventions like forums and facebook, we can find other people who share our exact interests in which to befriend.  Therefore, we don’t need to bother with the annoying jerkwads who live on our block or work in our office to make friends.  Therefore, we don’t have to learn how to interact with people who are different from us.

I would first like to point out that this argument is being posted on a website that includes blogs and FORUMS!  Moving on…

Second of all, according to the beginning of this article, a friend is defined as a person whom you can entrust with a devastating photo of yourself getting it on with a badger.  Now, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure that even 50 years ago (which is apparently the author’s idea of a perfect time…which I’ll admit, aside from the torrid racism and comfort with strong sexist behavior, was a pretty great time) your neighbors might be willing to yell at your kids out the window and bring over a casserole if someone died, but they were still not the type of people in which you would entrust such a secret.  There’s a difference between someone being your closest, dearest, lifelong friend and being someone that you’re kind to.  Like I said in my first post, are kind neighbors of less importance than best friends?

The article argues that back in the day, you didn’t get to pick your friends.  Thus, you had to learn to deal with people that you don’t like, since they were your only choice of friends.  This taught a person how to work with people you can’t stand, which is an integral part of being a member of society.  Well, the author is right on one part.  Learning to work with people that piss you off is part of being a functioning member of society.  But why is it necessary for these people to be my best friends?  Is it not enough that I can work side-by-side with them without impaling their heads on a stake?  And why is it so wrong that I find friends who share my interests?  Surely there are things much more detrimental to society than then large gatherings of nerds.  I mean, anime conventions may be be creepy and sad, but surely they’re not hurting anyone.

The article ends with the warning that without these obnoxious friends, you will turn emo.  Apparently, this is the worst threat they can think up.  But I ask this: which is worse, to be emo with a healthy group of friends, or to be alone in your world, with no one to share experiences with?  To chastise outsiders for not being close friends with people that they dislike is cold-hearted and ignourant, and tells me that this author lacks empathy.  Good thing he has so many annoying friends…

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