I think we have all forgotten what it means to be a friend. We start confusing people we interact with on Twitter or Facebook as friends. A friend is someone who is a partner and not a member of your entourage. A friend is someone you have a relationship that is unconditional and not defined by a short-term gain. It is based on one’s ability to communicate with the other honestly. That is friendship.
The Internet is tough when you’re growing up online. You start to believe the strangers you connect with are your friends. The interactions are so real that it becomes your social circle. This clip from South Park comes to mind. IRL a relationship that formed online is very difficult and that’s when you realize that these aren’t really your friends.