Well, I speak as someone who has met some wonderful people online, loves to write (I get my point across far better in written words, and unlike your example I actually think quite carefully before I "type and send"), and has been amazed at how easy it has been to reconnect with that long-lost classmate from middle school (and even elementary school.) Add to that the excitement of being found, and realizing someone from so many years ago was thinking of you and never would have been able to find you otherwise. Considering I'm not the "go to the reunion" type (not caused by technology; I wouldn't go even if we were still using carrier pigeons), having a way to just stay loosely in touch with so many people has enriched my life in a way that I can no longer imagine going without. I can't, for example, say that my best experience with my friend Amy was actually better in person. We barely knew each other in high school. She randomly found me online 15 years later, and now I've learned more about her, and her about me, than we ever did face to face. And yes, my relationship with her would not have re-developed without the internet. She lives 2500 miles away, and neither of us ever travels to the other's home area. Would she have looked me up and called me (or me her)? Nope. She's unlisted and she also prefers the passive nature of writing me first and giving me a chance to respond back without an immediate expectation of total interaction. (I use her as an example, but that has actually happened to me both ways, several times, with people from my long-ago past--even people I thought I was on bad terms with and am now on excellent terms with.)

And also, everyone has to remember that it's not the technology, it's the user. If e-communication existed out of the blue 150 years ago, there would be some initial trepidation, but it wouldn't be long before people would have been behaving exactly as they are now. We've all always used whatever technology was available to us at its fullest. You know, when books were invented, the elders lamented the loss of the use of brain power (memorization) and the obvious destruction of youth who were exposed to such a myriad of handwritten (*gasp* "NO!) ideas.