An interesting take on the so-called “pure” friendships that can be spawned by way of instant messaging. Online friendships aren’t just initiated by way of IM of course.

I’ve developed a number of friendships through disassociated, in some cases I’ve never actually met the people I’ve gone on to correspond with, though I can certainly empathise with some of Naomi Alderman’s experiences:

My dear friend Andrea - who lives in New York - and I have probably spent a total of 24 hours in one another’s physical company. But, after “meeting” online while working on a project together several years ago, we talk almost every day. In a way, this friendship seems purer than a real-life one: Andrea doesn’t have to come over to my place to chat, and deal with my washing-up aversion, my bad-hair days, or the mess that accumulates when I’m working. We can share ideas, insights, complaints and triumphs throughout the day, becoming quasi-ambient communicators in a way that would probably drive me crazy if we were in the same room all the time.

Have to confess I do prefer to conduct the conversations via email though. I find IM just way too disruptive, especially when trying to carry on drawn out conversations, on sometimes complex topics, while also trying to work.