The Faces in Facebook

Created (again) a Facebook account for myself late last night after I found out that I don’t have a friend’s email address. Somehow, it never got saved automatically like it should each time I replied to a mail. So, like it or not, I have to “get in touch” with this particular guy via Facebook. It doesn’t help that he’s currently in India.

Love the effects on the Facebook logo

Once I got everything set up, I sent a message and went to bed. When I got up this morning, I expected a reply or none at all; considering how busy he gets treating the sick. Instead, I got 22 notifications for friend requests; the first a little after midnight and the last at about six in the morning. Now, you must think I’m somewhat flattered, right? Wrong.

But I was amused. Going through the list, I came across some names that I don’t even know. Seriously. Over the course of the day, I accepted (and added a few) a total of 18 and as I’m typing this, another 19 is awaiting action. Gosh!

I said I was amused because there’s one thing in common among them all. Make no mistake, these are people I know and they’re my friends – in the not-hostile-therefore-friends kind of friends. Sorry I digressed. As I was saying, the one common thing I see here is that these folks have so many friends that even Pavarotti will turn green with envy.

Give me thirty and I’d have a hard time meeting all of them and to catch up with them. We’re talking numbers upwards of 300 here. Three hundred?! Whatever for? I’m going to let you draw the conclusions about them and their friends.

As for me, I prefer the good old way of email (you see, snail mails are too slow and we’re asked to save the trees) and a phone call every now and then. We even have SMS. Not to mention, instant messaging clients too. Already, these new avenues of helping people “keep in touch” are making communications less err... Heartfelt? Now everyone’s into social voyeurism. We care, but only on the latest and juiciest of news. So, someone’s In A Relationship now. Jane Doe is mad with her boyfriend. I mean, even if you want to send your condolences, go to the family, sit down and mourn with them. Look them in the eye and assure them. Not post on the deceased's wall like he or she is going to read it.

I’m not against Facebook or any other social networking sites. It’s just that people learn to take friendship for granted. A relationship isn’t some short binaries nor is it sustained by the number of “Likes” and “Pokes”. True that it’s one way, and a cheap one, to communicate and say hi but there’s where it ends. I’d love to meet and yak over a cuppa. After all, L-O-L means much more than three letters when the optical and auditory nerves pick them up.

One thing that often happens (even in internet forums, mind you) is that texts we read are mere texts. It’s so easy to misinterpret the mood of the author without the intonation and expressions.

Of course , I didn’t want to be part of someone’s listings as just another number. These are mere embellishments by people on a quest to hit some number and most in that listings are either doing the same thing or simply forgotten.

Did I mention that I deeply appreciate the hype created by some friends for my "homecoming" to FB? Great people. Both within and without the net. Three cheers for them!

Did I also mention that I’m still considering if I should be here for just a fortnight and then get out after my initial goal has been achieved?