I have the distinct pleasure of having been born in the late ’70s, putting me right at the cusp of Gen X and Gen Y. Like many Xers, I was a Latchkey Kid. I remember the Cold War, Oliver North, Just Say No, the doomed Challenger shuttle, the Electric Company, Thundercats, jellies, Chef Boyardee and Pong.
There were no cell phones, Internet, texting, Myspace, Facebook, iPhone, iPod, iBook or Kindle, which was fine – the velcro on my Reeboks was mesmerizing and distracting enough. It wasn’t until my mid to late 20’s that my inner Gen Y’er began to embrace these technologies, which for better or worse slipped seamlessly into my daily routine.
For better, I happened upon a site called Inspire.com, just one of many social networks providing support to people living with serious illness and their loved ones. According to the New York Times, these online communities are blooming like wildflowers – and for good reason. These sites offer something of an instant community of kindred souls who share common challenges, hopes and fears. And for those who are home or hospital bound due to their illness, social networking may be one of only a handful of outlets to connect and have a voice.
Of course, it’s not all peachy. Hopelessness can be contagious, and a predominately hopeless, negative community is bound to bring the spirit down. And as with the “real” world, there are likely a smattering of abusive, unsupportive or predatory individuals lurking in the Internet ether.
But all in all, this Kindness 2.0 thing is kinda cool.
Incidentally, I posted something to the Stop Sarcoidosis group at Inspire.com, and have found the community there to be incredibly kind, realistic and supportive. As one “sarkie” wrote, “Keep your chin up and don’t despair. We’ll help you through this!”
Lucid Amphibology 