I teach a course on Interpersonal relationships.  I wanted to make the point that relationships are fundamentally changing right before our eyes.

I brought up Farmville and how people will spend time feeding their virtual cows, and then one of the students brought up the fact that you can download an app on your phone – to have a virtual pet.  Virtual pets aren’t new, but some geek somewhere – that just isn’t all that great at relationships to begin with – made this app.  Imaginary friends now interact with you – for real.

Thousands are downloading virtual pets and friends.  It’s how a geek relates and many many people are becoming more geek in their relationships.