Virtual Friendship

I'm no stranger to the internet, I've been using it since I was an undergrad at UC Berkeley and it was known by its precursor name. I jumped on the home internet bandwagon in the early 90's; online groceries, banking, stock trading, bill paying, clothes, everything! - hell, I rarely go to a brick and mortar anymore. I enjoy being able to keep up with my dispersed set of friends and family from the comfort of my bed while simultaneously outbidding fellow ebayers, listening to new music and researching papers for school. The internet is good.

There is a disturbing trend that I've noticed over the years, virtual friendship. Example: So I started chatting online with this guy in North Dallas, he's nice in a benign way - nice looking, plesant, non-controversial conversations about nothing - you know, your basic wonder bread guy. He consistently IM's once a week, he consistently mentions we should meet sometime, I consistently give him my cell number, he consistently never calls, he consistently apologizes. LOL. Luckily I have the memory of a fruit fly so this pattern of behavior doesnt bother me. This week we went through another iteration and it dawned on me, I have been talking to this guy for EIGHT YEARS! I've never met him in person yet he still talks to me like I'm his friend! Are we doing this now? Did the internet give birth to a new mutant form of friendship without the personal interaction? Are people having "safe friendship" to minimize the risk of contracting confrontation, rejection and disappointment? Am I being harsh in considering this guy casual entertainment before I put up my away message and forget that he exists for another week?

Maybe I am freakish in my perspective that the internet, in a personal context, is good only for introduction then there needs to be some personal interaction to replace the stagnant, one dimensional text and images. I meet new people all the time and a large portion of them are from internet sources. No big deal, no expectations, well-lit place, have some coffee, go or not go from there. Freakish maybe but I dont much see the point in maintaining virtual frienships in a very concrete world.