I admit it: I have Facebook friends I've never met, people I'd be hard-pressed to pick out of a police lineup. I've even created a special group for them, just like I did for the people who I can't believe have had the nerve to friend me after that thing they said to me in Grade 9 math class.
Maybe a lot of the dynamic of networks like Facebook is all about reliving our high school years... only this time, thanks to the long tail, there's no shortage of people who want to go to the virtual prom with us. It's tempting to say yes; we all get a chance to be captain of the football team, head cheerleader, president of the debating society (what? that is too just like the others).
]]> But you quickly discover that being friends with everyone means a deluge of information about them. It's enough to make you sympathize retroactively with the popular kids in school... except they never had to put up with application notifications. (I swear, I'm going to pave over my Lil Green Patch and put in a patio with a barbecue.)