Face-time and permalinked lives

Though most of my “old school” still isn’t online, I’ve been enjoying catching up with people from 25 years ago via Facebook. Someone I ate lunch with in college. The brilliant younger brother of a roommate. I look forward more re-connections.

Jeff Jarvis has been thinking about the same experiences and what the future holds for our permalinked lives:

First, I think it means that they will maintain friendships and other relationships longer in life. I didnâ”t. I moved to four schools in three states in both elementary and high school (no, my father got out of the military so we wouldnâ”t move but then went into sales and we moved). I think that nomadism may have actually helped me. Friends will think this is a punchline but in truth, I was shy and being the new kid eight times forced me to be able to talk to people. But as we moved, I lost touch with almost every friend I had and that is a loss. If I had what young people have today, I could have stayed in touch with many of them or at least been able to track them through life.

I think this will lead to not just longer but better, richer friendships and I hope that is good for the character and good for the society. Youâ”ll know that you canâ”t just escape people when you move on; you are tied to your past. And youâ”ll be able to stay in touch and wonâ”t have those awkward moments of trying to catch up on 30 years over a single cocktail or email.