One thing I especially have come to appreciate about the Internet is the way it has aided in breaking down barriers that otherwise would have prevented communication. The
generation gap, for example, is nearly non-existent on the web. On occasion I have typed the wrong email name into my instant messenger; instead of sending an instant message to the intended friend have received an inquisitive reply and found myself in a fun and enlightening conversation with a teen-ager. Offline, this would have been less likely to happen with a young person I had no cause to know.
As for persons from other countries, the opportunities are endless to strike up friendships and/or business partners. With instant messaging and VOIP conferencing the world is becoming a smaller, more unified place. The endless acquaintances that are made online is so enriching and exciting. Before the WWW one had to travel extensively or spend endless hours writing letters to pen pals in order to find comradeliness in far away places. Business ventures with others in the far reaching ends of the earth existed, for the most part, only for large corporations.
It’s as though the pioneering...