Willie is educating me about the 21st century again. Two of his comments point to his very balanced view of the web. Yes, the web is wonderful. But it is not infallible or perfect.
1.What is IRL?
I had no idea what IRL means. According to Willie, it means "in real life" and is used by many in his generation. "If you actually do something, that's IRL," he said with his usual sense of humor. You can tell he thinks this is a little bit ridiculous, that online communication is a little overhyped.
2.Is that you Drew?
About ten years ago Willie had an online relationship with another boy named Drew. Last week he was walking down the street and saw a guy who looked like Drew, whom he had never met in-person. "Is that you Drew?" he asked the guy, and sure enough, it was Drew. The web is pretty cool.
Lessons: the web is not perfect, and it is not nor a replacement for physical life. On the other hand, it is pretty cool, pretty amazing, and wonderful aid to real life.
Comments