Does "friend" status on this site mean anything to you?

[IntoxicatingToxin]

When I was a moderator on this site, I would add anyone that sent me a request. I know that many users like to have all the mods/admins on their friends list. Once I stopped moderating, I started declining requests. If I don't know who you are, and we haven't spoken, then I'm not accepting your request!

 

[Calboner]

The number of people saying that they do exercise selection in granting "friend" suggests to me that things are not as far gone into meaninglessness as I had feared. So I'm inclined to continue my policy of rejecting requests from people who have not established communication with me.

 

[BigDallasDick8x6]

I wrote extensively (apparently too extensively for some people) on this about a year ago. I won't repeat all that, but if you want to read it, here it is>>
http://www.lpsg.org/117747-the-word-friend.html#post1931551

I don't consider an online "friend" to be the same as a friend in RL. I'm not going to co-sign for anyone's loan or anything so I don't see what's the big deal. I don't think I have ever turned down a friend request and I unless the person pissed me off I wouldn't break the freindship. I am amazed that there are people on here with 700+ friends. I'm sure you really have to work at that. I think I get about 2 friend adds for every friend request I send out.

I think if they had called it "shortcuts" to people's pages some folks wouldn't be as hung up on it. Just because the Powers That Be call the function "Friends" doesn't mean I won't use it in the way I want - which is a shortcut to pages of interesting people. I also allow people who find me interesting to put my shortcut on their page and yeah I admit I'm slightly flattered that they want to return to my page again. It's called Friends but so what -- it's the Internet. It means shortcut.

 

[798686]

Yep. I just tend to have a (fairly) small number of ppl on my list, those who I speak to most often, and consider friends on here. *shrugs*

Same on facebook - I have relatively few friends, cos I don't want loads of random peeps I hardly speak to. I am kind of a control freak tho...

 

[B_Hickboy]

I limit my friends list to people I find interesting and either have met or would like to meet. In real life, friendship is something I don't take lightly.

 

[Calboner]

I think if they had called it "shortcuts" to people's pages some folks wouldn't be as hung up on it. Just because the Powers That Be call the function "Friends" doesn't mean I won't use it in the way I want - which is a shortcut to pages of interesting people. I also allow people who find me interesting to put my shortcut on their page and yeah I admit I'm slightly flattered that they want to return to my page again. It's called Friends but so what -- it's the Internet. It means shortcut.

The degraded use of the word "friend," as much as I dislike it, is not what mainly bothers me. Even if the status were called "shortcut," one would still have to choose whether to accept requests from unknown people, including ones with no information in their profiles, no photos in their gallery, and few or no posts in the forums. Besides that, the site already had, and still has, the "contact" function, which each member can apply to any other member without awaiting permission from the latter. "Friend" status requires consent on both sides. That is what makes it problematic, regardless of the word used.

 

[lorne]

My favorite requests are from those who have; just joined, have no info, no pictures, no posts, no interactions what so ever. I generally think a message or two back and forth justifies it, or if I talk to them in the chat and such, but if you just click friend after checking out the gallery pages and see people you like thats a total pain in the ass.

 

[rob_just_rob]

I'm not sure what it's supposed to signify. Most of the people who have been on my friends list have either left the site or I've otherwise lost touch with them. I think it's more of a convenience than it is a sign of a relationship.

 

[Enid]

I also reject requests from those I do not know. I keep my list to people with whom I stay in touch in some form or fashion.

 

[BigDallasDick8x6]

Even if the status were called "shortcut," one would still have to choose whether to accept requests from unknown people, including ones with no information in their profiles, no photos in their gallery, and few or no posts in the forums.

It just doesn't bother me. Like I said, I'm not going to co-sign for them. I pretty much automatically click "accept" and don't spend a lot of time on it.

 

[BigDallasDick8x6]

In real life, friendship is something I don't take lightly.

Me too. But I don't consider the Internet to be real life so it's an entirely different matter for me.

 

[DiscoBoy]

Typically, I only send out or accept friend requests with/from people I've had some sort of interaction with-- usually a bit of friendly banter on the boards or a conversation through PMs.

In most cases, however, the people on my friend's list are those I've met through the chat room. When people are on your friend's list and let themselves show as "online", they'll show up on the ride side in a box as "online" so it lets me know whether someone I like or not will [more than likely] be in the chat room, which is really useful.

Also, I've got a private album and it's nice to be able to control who exactly gets to see it.

 

[molotovmuffin]

I don't really understand the and the imaginary friend statement. Elaborate further.

The is because people use the word friend lightly. Almost every one I meet is an acquaintance not a friend. Most of the people I hang out with are acquaintances not friends. I can count my friends on one hand.

The imaginary friends statement wasn't mine, it was said to me about my online "friendships" as if they weren't real. I know that they are different than my real life but some of my online acquaintances I would love the chance to get to know in real life. And if I were to cull my friend list down... there'd prolly be less than 10 people on it. That's fine with me.:wink:

 

[68306]

Might be against the usage of the word "friends", and it's spread over the internet.

Sometimes even "contacts" would be a misnomer, as many of these people are never heard from again.


That said, I've accepted every request here.

 

[Smooth88]

There are a select few people on this site I talk to regularly. But as friend status on the site I accept people I've seen or if I can tell you post at least semi-regularly. I can be fairly selective.

 

[nubian]

My friends list contains some of my friends here, but some are folks that have requested, and then never heard from again.

However, my "friends" here are my real friends also. I have met some wonderful, genuine people here.

What he said. :beerchug2:

 

[luka82]

My friends list contains some of my friends here, but some are folks that have requested, and then never heard from again.

However, my "friends" here are my real friends also. I have met some wonderful, genuine people here.

i second this, but unfortunatelly no one wants to meet Lukah!!!!:biggrin1:

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

My initial friend's list (summer 2008?) was just people I had met in real life, but I felt that was limiting and deleted those that no longer post mad but I keep in touch with through other means. Later, I began adding people that I would like to get to know better - whether I initiated the contact or was sent a request and accepted because they seemed interesting. Not everyone meets this criteria (or I can't tell with zero posts), therefore, although I do not announce it, I reject the majority of friend requests.

Having said that, I am a social person and being that I'm not a lurker/invisible, am here to socially interact with people. So, I am open to receiving PMs, profile messages (sometimes ), friend requests, etc., because that's how I like to get to know people.

Most of the time it works out well and I have met an excellent group of people from this site. But, if we become "friends" and it turns out we are not keeping in touch, there's no connection, or, if most of our contact is off-site, I delete them. Perhaps not as selective as some, but again, I'm open to meeting new people and seeing what develops. :shrug:

 

[luka82]

When I was a moderator on this site, I would add anyone that sent me a request. I know that many users like to have all the mods/admins on their friends list. Once I stopped moderating, I started declining requests. If I don't know who you are, and we haven't spoken, then I'm not accepting your request!

Omg, Have you noticed that you were never on my list????
And I luff you!!!:wink:

Yep. I just tend to have a (fairly) small number of ppl on my list, those who I speak to most often, and consider friends on here. *shrugs*

Same on facebook - I have relatively few friends, cos I don't want loads of random peeps I hardly speak to. I am kind of a control freak tho...

Hon, admit it, all the cool kids don`t wonna play with you!:biggrin1:

I limit my friends list to people I find interesting and either have met or would like to meet. In real life, friendship is something I don't take lightly.

I so wonna do nasty thing with you!!!!:redface:
(You play tennis????)

 

[ghb69]

Luka I invited you to dinner. When was the last time you looked at comfort foods?