You have 10 new friend request(s)!

“I have 2000 friends.”

Had anyone said this dialogue 10 years back, people would have certified that person insane to be saying that… unless of course he was some famous personality.

But today, you can expect to receive an- “Oh! I have 2100” as an answer.

It’s funny how people claim to be “in touch” or “updated” about what’s happening in the lives of their friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends… But rarely care about the person who has been waiting right in front of them for their attention while they are busy texting or commenting on a picture of a friend. I honestly believe that social networking sites have made my strong relationships weak. I can reap hundreds or even thousands of acquaintances online. But acquaintances are what they will remain.   

I can state more than one incident where I got a friendship request from the person I never thought of as a friend. A classmate I never even talked to or someone catching the same bus as me. They want to be just my cyber friends, but friends nonetheless.

In the year 1992 Robin Dunbar, a sociologist posited that 150 is the upper limit of “stable” relationships a single human can have. Then what’s with those hundreds of friend in our friend lists??

I think it’s time to take an about-turn and make the conversations more than just a chat. Compliments more than “likes” and “comments”. And actually smile and laugh instead of typing J or LOL!!

Its weird how to strangers become friends-but even weirder how two friends become strangers.- Unknown