Friend or Foe?

When the internet came along, we didn't really know whether we should "dig" the fact we can connect with anyone with the same means to do so. Although the internet and its capabilities have greatly expanded, the question remains and better yet, there is no definite answer. In retrospect we, ourselves, will never see the answer but future generations looking back at "history" will.
The way I see it, the internet is a great connector to an invisible world I cannot see but I know I am a part of it instantly when I log on. The difference between experiencing humanity, more particularly, societies, is the factor that this membership is constant. For lack of an advanced explanation, the example of my peculiar music taste will do. Months ago I wandered into the psychobilly world and never looked back. Problem is there is no way for me to experience this community apart from going to live shows because of the simple fact this taste is not mainstream. For the most part (ie. not around Halloween), psychobilly shows are not a dime-a-dozen, so how can I stay a part of this community on a continual basis? Enter the Psychobilly Online Retard Board. Now at the click of a few buttons, I can communicate with a larger society I choose to be a part of. This connection never "disintegrates" either because whether I am logged in or not, I am always a registered member. This way people with much narrower interests can bond and form a family, in the most platonic and virtual way possible. Of course, my view may not be shared with everybody. Someone can just as well say the internet is so vast, everyone is prone to finding their own niche society and only divulge in this "neighbourhood" creating more distance than community. Likewise, one could also comment on the exclusionary factor the internet provokes. If you do not have internet or do not have high-speed, the necessity of applications in the media driven world and the speed at which they should be carried out at drives you to conformity. Ie. The normal internet experience now includes a constant, high-speed connection. This is how the developed world is often compared to the non-developed world and begs the question with an obvious monetary answer, why are some of us not "developing"?