NEW SLANG: IBF
Internet Best Friends—lots of us have them, few of us meet them IRL. They’re a kind of friendship that only exists online, but does that make IBFs very different from IRL friends? In this episode of our series NEW SLANG, we look at the nature of chat, fandom, communication and identity and how this has come to be one of the top most-searched words for definitions over the past year.
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What a perfect subject for this site. What are your beliefs about IBF's? Do you have an IBF? Has it felt as real as a real-life friendship? Let's discuss!
Sadly, I have been there myself.
As this is the only site that I frequent my response should be rendered moot as here I can only muster the grand total of four friends. Even at that resounding number, one has been m.i.a. for sometime and Kathleen has taken some time off leaving me with two for all intents and purposes. In truth if they really knew me I would be left alone and forlorn, alas friendless.
Thank goodness for relatives:)
I'll be your IBF! My relatives drive me nuts.
Kathleen should be back. In the process of moving I think.
Friend request sent.
Oh heck luther many of relliies are nuttier than a sack of peanuts.
I enjoy your commentary...Friend sent.
Have to agree with Perrie and Kavika!
And ditto on the friend request sent!
Thank you one and all, this will take some getting used to, I've never been popular before:)
You're welcome!
I think you can only label someone "Best friend" if you've actually met them in person. Internet Friend, sure, no problem, but "Best" friend? I think maybe we're lowering the definition of best a little too much. Maybe they added the "Best" just because calling people your "IF's" sounds weird.
How about IBC? Internet Best Acquaintance? You get to keep the "Best" part, but town it down on the friends end.
Or maybe ELF? Electronic Long-term Friendship.
Doh! I changed the word but not the letter. My first thought was companion but that didn't sound right.
I have met several of the people on this site in person and I have to say, that was only the icing on the cake.
NV use to have meets in the early years. It was before my time but it was cool to see what the people you were talking to looked like.
I was at a NV meet. Met some great people and some of them are now here at NT.
I remember those NV meets. I was supposed to go to one, but took ill. I was totally bummed when I heard about the good time everyone had.
Most of them took place before I had joined. A lot of the people that went, I was familiar with though.
I remember several articles from the meets, with pictures.
I joined first on the old NBC chat and NV membership was the same. There were several people that did the same as I have, traveled from there.
I have never met anyone but have seen pictures of a lot over the years.
Edit: I may have that wrong as I remember the original NV format. Maybe I just spoke more on the NBC side (at one time).
I like ELF
Never met a IBF IRL. But there have been a few I would have liked to meet over the years. Had an extensive friends list back on the vine and wish I could have invited them all to a party.
Hey, you could invite them here! We are very friendly!
Not quite as real as an In Real Life friend, but could be just as important, beneficial and valued. The loss of one could be as hurtful. It's just all on a different level, a different plane of existence.
That was nicely stated Buzz.
Even just conversing at a place like here one gets to know people. The number for me dwindled after NV but I feel I have also gained some.
Not all just conversing, sometimes just reading without saying anything. Over years one can get attached to people.
There used to be a memorial page at the old place. Don't know if they have one here. Luckily it is not needed very often.
Actually there is a memorial page, but it's on Kilted Korner.
I absolutely believe they can be as real as any other friendship. What starts out as a simple comment or chat can evolve over time...just like "in real life".
I've had many "internet friends" but there is one that has become not only an IBF but an IRL best friend. She knows who she is!
I've got IBFs. They're important to me
I have IBF's. I think of them as real friends. Some of them I have known for almost 12 years now.
Internet friends (best or otherwise) are clearly real relationships. Different of course than face-to-face, but still real. Forums like NT provide a means for people to exchange thoughts, views, information in ways that are not always possible in face-to-face relationships. The ability to stretch out discussions over time and have the context be recorded to refresh one's memory is a clear advantage. Face-to-face discussions tend to be more brief because they have to take place within a much shorter duration and once a face-to-face discussion is interrupted it rarely continues. ( One of my favorite discussions took place years ago and involved about two weeks worth of exchanges on a complex topic followed by over a year of periodic exchanges on the same topic. )
I think forums like NT provide a valuable additional way to engage people without being limited by time or space and in many cases people do indeed become friends (and, unfortunately, enemies).
Not if the discussion is civil, even in the event of disagreement, unless one insults the other. And, "unfortunately", there are those on this site who are unable to control their vicious urges.
I wish that were true Buzz, but there are some topics that do not seem to be able to be discussed in detail if there is disagreement or debate without at least one side eventually resorting to emotion. Even when trying to keep the discussion civil (and, in fact, thoughtful). Religion and partisan politics are my prime examples of this.
My real life friends make me crazy and I get into it with them all the time. Mr Giggles said when I start getting heated and frustrated that's when I need to walk off and go get another beer.
Sounds like good advice for the internetz, too
I totally agree, Tig!
Wonder why the acronym BFF was not reused: best forum friend?
Maybe sites like Facebook and Instagram are not considered forums.
In addition to the NV meet I've met a couple of members that were travelling in the area that I lived in at the time, Missouri and they are also members here on NT. I also met another one of my jaunts to MN and will probably see him again this year in June.
Tell them I say HI
Oh and while I remember, here is Larry Hampton visiting me with an amazing photo essay that went along with it.
Wow, that was 7 years ago!
I remember that article! And I love the picture of all of you!
btw...that jacket you're wearing looks very familiar, I know I've seen it before
Gee, I don't know where that could be, LMAO!
Larry and I in Fargo ND, 2014.
I remember that one, too!
Cool pics! And just in time for Throwback Thursday!
LOL, Throwback Thursday sounds like fishing Uppy.
Ummmm....when I go fishing, Thursday, May 16, 2019, I am NOT throwing back any trout! Somebody's gotta feed the crowd
That looks like something Mr Giggles would have done.
"Do you have an IBF ?"
NOPE !
Someone I can agree with time and again …..sure !
But a Best Friend I have never met in person...… FUCK NO !