e20211amjohnr

“’ Are you my friend? Yes or no?”’ “This question, while fundamentally odd, is a key component of social network sites. Participants must select who on the system they deem to be “’Friends.”’ Their choice is publicly displayed for all to see and becomes the backbone for networked participation.” What a way to pick your friends, but this is how numerous youths decide who they want to be friends with, by clicking a “yes or no” button. The question I ask is why do you classify people as friends on social sites, and why are these sites such a big deal?
“In everyday life a friend is a relationship that involves some degree of mutual love or admiration, emotional and practical support. Friends are expected to provide a shoulder to cry on, be a partner in crime, and guarantee to bail you out of jail. “Friends, the people you see or talk to on a daily basis that you have known for at least a few years. But now a days if you talk to a person once on one of these social sites like “MySpace” they are considered your friend. But why is that? Because it’s easier to say yes to someone than it is to say no. Every time someone has a new friend request instead of declining the person if you don’t know them most people accept them so there’s none of that awkwardness between you even if you never talk to the person. People would rather feel that sense of kindness and acknowledgement than have that other people you don’t know think you’re ignorant.
Then there are the people who add everyone they can. They might have 687 people in their list and call them all “friends.” They have their actual friends mixed in with acquaintances, contacts, people they don’t know, and all the made up band, celebrity, and institution profiles. Made up profiles of Orlando Bloom and Bart Simpson and they say that they are friends. How can you be friends with a cartoon? Kate Raynes-Goldie and Fono from “Live Journal” found the 13 top reasons people say that they are “friends”: “1. Actual friends. 2. Acquaintances, family, colleagues. 3. It would be socially inappropriate to say no because you know them. 4. Having lots of friends makes you look popular. 5. It’s a way of indicating that you are a fan (of that person, band, product, etc.) 6. Your list of friends reveals who you are. 7. Their profile is cool so being friends makes you look cool. 8. Collecting friends lets you see more people. 9. it’s the only way to see a private profile. 10. Being friends lets you see someone’s bulletins and their friends-only blog posts. 11. You want them to see your bulletins, private profile, and private blog. 12. You can use your friends list to find someone later. 13. it’s easier to say yes than no.”