That is the definition of Work in Physics. I remember I used to have fun as a kid thinking about it. One can push a boulder all day without moving it a single meter, you can get tired just doing it, but as per physics, no work is done :) So, we thought about doing a simple experiment with a few folks. They all agreed that since Hive was originally a social network, one of the most sociable things to do is to make a friend. Now, it is not very easy to make a virtual friend rather quickly, but it is possible, if there is enough intent. I think people tried, but with limited success. This reminded me about that fallacy of physics regarding the definition of work. I hope you catch my drift.
As my hair turned more gray over the years, I realized something I did not earlier regarding that definition of work. Even in physics, as one pushes the boulder, the particles of bould do move infinitesimally small amounts towards the direction of force, but due to the cohesion and elastic nature of the boulder, it comes back to its original state as soon as the force is removed. So, in theory, since the mass of the boulder is large, quite a significant amount of work was done, even though it can't be measured easily. Therefore, I have arrived at a simple scientific conclusion that, even if you can't make a friend in a short time, the effort was probably there, and therefore it probably qualified for some community work.
With that said, I think we can close this editorial without making it too demanding and prescriptive, which I have a tendency to do. The main goal of this issue and any issue is just to have fun.
- Sam White
Well, that's easier said than done. Well, at least that's my case.
I've always leaned more towards the introverted side of general mass. And even though I can talk a lot to the people I'm close to, it's always a struggle for me when it comes to talking with someone new. I'm not good at starting a conversation, and I'm even worse when it comes to maintaining small talks. This is why I tend to avoid talking to new people in general, being content with the small circle of people I have. Which, of course, has its downsides. Especially when you are in a blockchain like Hive, where networking and connectivity are a must.
But even the bird who is afraid of flying must take a leap and let its wings spread; I too did venture out to find and talk to some new people. And let me tell you... It's hard...Maybe I've not been as devoted enough with my networking thing, or perhaps I've just been on the unlucky side since I went and commented on posts that I liked rather than viewing if the user will be 'beneficial' to have as a friend, but I found that most people, really don't want to reply to the comments they received under their posts? This is a matter of concern as this commenting and replying is the sole way to connect in the blockchain itself.
I can't really force a conversation under a comment that says, 'wow, thanks!' to the thoughtful thing I wrote. So letting it pass was the only option. And I sadly got one reply out of them all... Which is a shame.
So yeah, this is my story of being friendless after putting in an effort. (even if it's a bare minimum. I know I could've and should've done more.) But this epic failure of mine is a lesson. I need to venture in and find people who want to talk instead of focusing on people who don't. And like a thankful little dandelion who reaps many benefits from this platform, I must invest more time in it. Because you can't really achieve anything unless you work for it. And I do, this time, intend to work for it.
Well, well, well...
Off to making friends...
Unlike others, I wouldn't say that I'm an introvert or bad at making friends. Quite the contrary, I'm used to putting on a friendly face to show others, and often that's what matters.
What we present matters MORE
That's not necessarily bad. We often refrain from shoving our own opinion down someone's throat or spilling venomous words regards to showing exactly how we feel, for reasons only valid to us. And even the one who says they are asocial or antisocial is doing these same things almost every day. Moving back on to me. I'm half a charming person, and often I don't spew profanities (no matter how much my heart desires to) is because it could stretch the situation even lengthier. So, in cases such as that, I only hum a response or nod my head with a tight-lipped smile - problem solved.
We don't portray those sides of us to our friends, do we?
Hmm, you know the answer to that. I didn't fail at making friends - yes, I failed, massively, when it came to making acquaintances or connections. Hell, even the connections I had built up when I first joined, are hanging on by a loose thread. It takes a lot of effort, which I didn't invest in. You might as well just say that I'm lazy, but it'd be somewhat wrong. And, if you're asking for an explanation, I will only say that I'm feeling less enthusiastic and overworked in my day job. I'm what they call as selectively social. So, making a connection doesn't seem like an easy task.
Since my journey here, I had initially made quite a few acquaintances, most of whom are lost, but I have managed to make a few new ones as well. But here's a funny thing! There are a few with whom I used to have a good conversation here and in discord, but for the past few weeks, some of us have taken it upon ourselves to make Turni better than before. This only meant the few I was in touch with were spending more time connecting and getting to know one another. What primarily we were doing for our fulfillment, became something more. For better or worse, we got to know each other more on a personal level.
Even though I partially failed at attempting to make new connections, the ones I had even solidified more, and for that, I'm truly grateful. I found out that it's not just me who's having a hard time making new friends - some of us or on the same boat, and some are already facing situations that others have faced while reaching out. Maybe I have gone about this the wrong way, and not to mention that I should have tried harder, better, but I have realized that I enjoy catching up with certain types of people and often find myself stalking them. Yes, stalking and sometimes egging them, but that's all fun and games.
Yes, I have indeed gone about this the wrong way, but not all of it was wrong. I got to know a few people better than I used to before, and that itself is a tiny bit of success. So, all hope isn't lost, and something good still has come out of failed attempt.
Image source
Having to write about a "friend" or the experience of making a friend, at an age where you're mostly losing friends and neighbors, as we become more antisocial day by day, it sure sounds like a difficult task, especially in this locked-up world we are living in right now. But do we actually have to view it as a task? Are our social skills really deteriorating? Have we actually lost our "ways" and our "touch" as human beings?
Making a friend was never an issue for me, at least in my younger days. I believe I still have it in me. I just don't reach out as much, I guess. I was always the guy in focus, the one who would get to hang out with different types of people and age groups. I would fit right in, quite effortlessly.
But the world is a different place now. It's nothing like what it used to be back then, even if you consider looking back just by a few years. A time when we were actually present in the moment, in one place, face to face. Things felt so natural back then, especially friendship. There were no structures, mental barriers, or different platforms. No friend requests to send, non to accept, no follow button, and none to follow back. No messaging apps, no posts and feeds to comment on in order to just spike up a conversation.
Our school days or student life for example. You would just be put in a large group of young like-minded youths. Where you would sit around awkwardly, probably all alone for the first few days, taking time to study the whole place. Especially the physical beings who quite surprisingly look just like you, a pair of eyes, ears, arms, and legs, whaddya know? Yet, we are still scared sometimes, scared to approach our kind.
Soon enough though, you add it all up, the information you've gathered, and start focusing on that one subsection of people who look interesting and feel just right. A group in which you see yourself maybe, fitting right in, just like the missing piece of the puzzle. A group of people who probably share the same vibes and are usually a mix of your type of crazy. In the end, it's either you who finds them or them finding you, truly innate. It all felt natural in a way, just like it should be. Being physically present in the moment, living and working together, always being there through the good and the bad. I believe we function better that way, united as one.
Nowadays though, "friendship" works quite differently. And I believe it all started over a decade or two ago, after the introduction of social media, the internet so we speak. As we began to adopt a "digital" lifestyle, slowly distancing ourselves from the real world, its inhabitants, and its olden ways. Now, I'm not saying it is a bad thing or a wrong path that we've taken. If anything, I say it has more ups rather than downs. But one thing is for sure, this antisocial lifestyle of ours is slowly stripping us away from our basic and necessary need for physical touch and presence.
As humans, we're simply not meant to live this way, divided from one another. Being shy or scared to approach our own kind. I believe we need to maintain balance, a balance among the social and the antisocial.
Alas!, It seems that many of us have already taken our pick, out of which probably the majority have taken the antisocial approach. For some, it has been this way for quite a while now. And I believe that is why we find making friends and socializing nowadays a bit difficult, whether it be online or in real life. Simply because we're still adapting to this bizarre new way of life. We're stuck, hanging in the middle and dangling side to side. While still carrying within us some hints, of our older and much natural ways of living and communicating. The need for physical contact still remains inside of us, yet many are "touch starved".
But, it's not like you can only have "real friends" in the "real world" by choosing to go out and meet people or interact in a friendly way. I truly believe we do have some "internet friends" who we consider nothing less than family and love immeasurably. I believe it is a friendship, a relationship that is just as genuine and important. I say it's actually easier making friends online, in a way. But like I've said earlier, there's a structure present, steps, and mental barriers involved, which we ourselves sometimes tend to create. Things that you usually don't have to deal with in the real world. We're more present in the real world experience, present in the moment.
Back to the "internet friends" of ours, the ones we truly care about, a bunch of people with whom we have a genuine connection. Even though it might be that you've never even met a lot of these people in real life, yet, you would surely trust some of these people blindly if ever needed.
Now, when it comes to me and my measly 3 months here on Hive/PeakD, then I surely can say that I've made some "friends", quite the handful. And probably WAY faster than I expected. There are surely a few users whom I follow and absolutely love to conversate with every other day in the comment section. I certainly can say that a friendly vibe is present between me and many of the active users here on the blockchain, a friendly relationship we can call it for now.
I believe it is indeed too early to give the "relationship" a name, a tag. Yet, with time we surely will get there, whatever has to happen will happen naturally. It will be an effortless process, it has to be. Because, whether it be love or friendship, these are the two relationships that can't be forced. Even if you do succeed with all the force you have, the relationship won't last and even if it does, then you will simply be living a lie.
Okay, here I am. Last week I was like "search, search, search!" Searching for what? A new bond, similar to friendship. So far, I haven't engaged with anyone to convert them into something out of Hive since I was hesitant to blend my personal information. First and foremost, I had created a safe haven for myself within the confines of BDCommunity and the individuals that lived there. Outside of that, am I truly just a stranger?
Maybe not a complete stranger, but I doubt it. Last week I engaged with 27 unique authors from around the chain, many of whom are well outside my usual sphere of surroundings. After a number of fascinating discussions, several people invited me to visit their nation because they saw my passion. You know what, I almost decided to go, but at the last minute, I remembered that I didn't have a passport and didn't have enough money to spare for the trip, so I'm sorry for the inconvenience!
Jokes apart, I can't mention any of them here as one of my Hive Friends due to the fact that we have only just begun interacting and it is difficult for me to establish new relationships quickly; maybe I will do that sooooooon. Wait, I think I got a friend whom I can mention as I have known her for a long time and we both are talking with each other every today or tomorrow.
Let's start with the first meeting. I remember getting involved in a project called Dreamport, which aimed to consolidate content from several sources into one place. Being on the Tester Teem I got posts to curate and one of them was from 
I can't stay away from expressing the pleasant experience of the hunt from last week. Starting from Northern Lights to ending with Crypto Investments, from the Breathtaking Stories to Sweet Poems, and many more that grabbed my attention as I wandered around. Am not going to stop hunting, next time maybe I would be able to mention ten names instead of just one. Let's see how far it goes, I just hope not to get lost midway.
Being an introvert, making friends was always the most dreadful thing I have been exposed to since childhood. Taking the first initiative to make conversations with strangers was always nerve-wracking. So the task was mostly avoided by simply choosing to sit around in a corner as silently as possible. Being in your own bubble is the perfect remedy to forget the existence of humans. But strangely, most of the time, the extroverts take it upon themselves to include the lonely introvert in their batch of groups. Why? Well, I still can't figure that out, but thanks to them, I got a fair share of people who consider me as their friends.
When the idea of making friends in the blockchain first came out, the years of hesitation of being the first conversation starter got me paralyzed for a week. To be honest, it was expected as I never commented under someone's post in the mindset of making them my friends. It was mostly to show the appreciation/admiration I felt towards their work, and that was that. It was never my intention to have an in-depth conversation with them. But the initiative of making friends in the blockchain was too good to pass since, as individuals, broader connections throughout the communities would be an excellent opportunity to know more about this platform and its people. This was also going to be a social adventure and for an introvert, nothing can be more challenging than being the initiator of befriending someone. So, after a long procrastinating, I finally convinced myself to dive into the rabbit hole.
At the very beginning, the first problem that came to the surface was, finding the right post that could hold my interest. People write about various things; some of those posts were written beautifully. But if it doesn't contain what I am interested in, I never finish reading it. I know it sucks, but it is what it is. During the hunting phase of friends I might've opened 120 posts but barely managed to finish like 10.
Now, the next thing I realized about engagement in the blockchain is that not many people want to talk or have a more in-depth conversation under their written post. No matter what the comment is about, the reply is most likely finished with a thank you or worse, an emoji. Now, what else could I say after getting those replies without sounding like a complete desperate lonely loser? But thankfully, not everyone reacts this way; some people get delighted to receive comments under their posts; they would even dive into your own posts and let you know if they find it interesting. It's an excellent initiative to start constant support and communication and gradually build friendships. But this process takes a lot of time and could never be achieved by simply commenting under one of their posts. Friendship comes with a longer commitment.
So, what's the take on this little finding friend adventure? Well, the first question is, did I enjoy it? Yes, by diving into this rabbit hole, I managed to read more posts within four days than I did in a year. Was it effective to make more connections throughout the blockchain? Definitely, most people love it when others read and comment under their posts; some will take the initiative to read some of your own posts, thus forming a blockchain engagement. Will I continue to do this in the future? Yes, mainly because jumping from one community to another was a fun experience; I even managed to find some awesome writers throughout the process, which is just a complete blessing.
So, there you go, the summary of my little adventure mostly failed as I didn't manage to make a friend, but it was fun and informative even then.
In my short carrier of writing here in this chain, I've had the fantastic opportunity to interact with many people around the globe. They are indeed good writers and appreciators.
We talked with each other several times, shared our opinions, and got to know each other. I believe it is the first stepping stone for friendship.
Though we all live apart, what we share, give opinions on, adore, or reject, makes us alike. In a collective scenario, out-there ideas are mingled together. That is the beauty of communication, and it brings people together for a greater purpose.
Life is a journey, and we meet many people around us. Some make an everlasting impression, and some dissolve with the tides of time.
We remember the best of them, love them and make them the memory we call core one! Engagement is the sweetest thing; knowing each other and sharing feelings and opinions at large is what makes us open.
If you have trouble having a conversation, I can tell you not to hesitate. Share whatever you want to mention, break the ice! Ask questions. And that is the only way to learn and be involved with the hub of collective wisdom that can help you understand your surroundings in a new light.
Friends are the best thing that happened to me. I am blessed to have a good number of friends around me. But my friends from Hive helped me a lot to know about things I want to explore.
Some tips from these friends really worked, and I can't really repay the debt I owe to them for that.
Recently, I had some cool conversations with some new people. Among them, I want to mention 
I love reading posts from different communities, and many of them contain good stuff from which I can learn new things. I see photographs that make me wonder, read stories that make me feel loved, skim through personal blogs, investment thoughts, games, and many other things that help me develop my skills and helps me stay entertained.
I think that just writing a piece and posting it on the blockchain is not enough. If you are not socially active and communicative, it is challenging to make progress here. At the end of the day, Hive is one of the most authentic social blogging platforms to its users. Unlike the others, we do more than just blogging; we connect, make new friends, and try to be their friend in need. We all are blessed with this amazing thing in every phase of our ongoing life.
And you, yes; you are also welcome here on board. Wholeheartedly! I want to thank everyone who values friendship, who is always there and has friends indeed!
Love you, friends!
the crowd rustles.
We see a million faces,
submerged in million pieces.
you, in he and she.
How do we distinguish
between all of these?
accumulates.
Fabrics of gestures,
find its way.
It is a mystery ride.
How astonishing is it to be found?
Among them, many people hound.
while discontinuity entangles the ground.
Attention engages the round,
while distance breaks the bound.
the crowd rustles.
We see a million faces,
submerged in million pieces.
we find time to invest,
we find time to find you in her and him,
we find time to find our in them and those.
a thousand blisters accumulate.
Sneaking our way to support the him and her,
we time ourselves to them in our circulation.
the sorrows of them, the happiness of ours,
the support of ours, the notion of theirs.
accumulates.
Fabrics of converses,
find its way.
the hours of engagement,
the hours in every effort,
disappears the doubt in us.
Is it a mystery ride to be pals?
How astonishing is it to be found?
Among others, many people only sound.
Only a moment of engagement,
Only a moment of effort,
disturbs the bond in us.
the crowd ruffles.
We see a million faces,
mirrored in million shapes.
we find time to invest,
we find time to find you in her and him,
we find time to find our in them and those.
the doubt tries to engulf us.
Sneaking our way to support someone anew,
we time ourselves to those, out of our circle.
while discontinuity entangles the ground.
Attention engages the round,
while distance breaks the bound.
the footprints lay a pathway.
Splinters of generations,
the wisest value the efforts.
we dig our own paths.
Searching on million faces,
to match our million pieces.
you, in he and she.
We know how to distinguish,
the forgotten and the remembered.
Making new friends is not an easy task for me. Conversation with a stranger for one week, two weeks, or even three months can be a challenging task. In addition, I lack confidence in my ability to strike up a conversation with complete strangers and am at a loss for how to do so. I would not even consider them a friend whom I had known only fifteen days or a month. This does not mean that I have no friends; I, too, have friends. But the friendship with them did not happen overnight; it took years to make deep friendships.
But if this friendship is in blockchain, it is a little different to me. Increasing our communication skills in the hive blockchain is one of the most important things to do; though I know enough about it, do not apply; as I said, I am not good at starting conversations. In the last few days, I have explored several communities of Hive read many posts, but I do not know what replies will make friends. For example, I have read several posts from the Haveyoubeenhere community but have not found any appropriate sentences to reply to. However, I could make some useless comments that would annoy the writer even more; making friends is a far cry.
But one thing I did realize was that when I joined the
Bdcommunity a year ago, I didn't know anyone in the community. But gradually, a friendly relationship began to develop with everyone. So my perception is to build friendships slowly by keeping the communication intact because making friendship takes some time.
