The thing that first struck me when I arrived in SF fandom was the accepting nature of the community. People of all different personalities, persuasions and politics coexist relatively happily, brought together by one rather spurious interest.
Live Journal, for me, is a part of this. I like it because I like people-keeping up with their lives, understanding what it is that makes them tick. I honestly don't find that the prevalence of 'what I had for breakfast' entries is a bad thing; instead I think it's a useful new way of getting to know people better.
One of the things that LJ comes under fire for is the way that it seems to encourage woe and angst, and this is very often a valid annoyance. James's example in the last issue was a good one; something that would have gone unnoticed offline can grow into an enormous drama when you're separated by a computer screen. Sometimes, however, this can be a help, too.
From the end of 2005 to about April last year, I pretty much Went Mad. There were various perfectly valid reasons for this that I'm sure most of you will have picked up on by now. I actually found Live Journal an invaluable tool for keeping in touch with my friends during a time when I could have very easily slipped off into a little world of my own and never seen anyone. I actually found it made me less introspective, not more. (Readers of my LJ at this time will doubtless recall both my utter insanity at that point and my inability to recognise it...) I know I'm not the only person to have found this aspect of LJ useful.
Several people have asked me since the first issue of Demeter's Daughter came out what my opinions on online "*hugs*" are. I agree that they are no substitute for real affection or friendship or support, and I also agree that some people use them as a second-rate substitute for them. What they are useful for, however, is doing your best to comfort someone from a distance when you have no other choice-"I'm sorry I can't be with you right now, but if I was I'd be giving you a hug and making you a cup of tea".
Online interaction is rarely a decent substitute for offline interaction, but it can still be meaningful. Often-and this is certainly true for me-people find it easier to say things in writing than face-to-face or on the phone: real, important, meaningful things. Online interaction and offline interaction are very different, but that doesn't mean that online relationships and chats are worthless.
It may be worth pointing out to those who read the James Bacon article in question that, since the time of publication, Stef has created a Live Journal account. You can find it at stefzilla.livejournal.com-and yes, I really do find this as hilarious as you do. It'll be Elvis next. Don't mock: Robert Newman's already got two.
Overheard at Day of the Teledu
Claire: Did you just tell Noel not to be a Quaker...?
Abi: No, no: I told him not to be a wanker!
Claire: That's alright then: I've been trying for years to get him to listen to that advice....