About Face(book)

At this moment I have 131 Facebook friends.  This seems like a lot, but when I see other profiles listing 500+ friends, I feel like a loser.  I’m sure I’ve met 500+ people, but can I say I know 500+ people?  Probably not.  The good news (for me, anyway) is that Facebook’s company statistics show the average user has 130 friends.  I'm above average!

We all approach Facebook differently.  Some people collect as many friends as possible, just for the heck of it.  Some gather lots of friends as part of their jobs or businesses.  Others keep a tight circle of close friends and family.  When I first joined Facebook, I had the zeal of a convert, tracking down long lost friends, but also connecting with people I saw twice a day.  Eventually I slowed down, and now I add new friends as they pop up.

Although my 131 friends is about average, I think I’ve gone too far.  I feel a little exposed. Whenever I forget I’m in a digital crowd and post something a little too personal, some weird guy from high school will inevitably chime in with a snarky comment.  (Why did I friend him in the first place?)  It’s a little unsettling. 

I won't quit Facebook, because there are parts I really enjoy.  I love the pictures of travel adventures, new babies and kitchen remodels.  I love the posts from friends who should be working at Second City.  And I love knowing that with all of us on there, it’s impossible lose touch.  

But I am rethinking my 131 connections.  I may shoot for below average.  Perhaps, little by little, I'll quietly shed the folks I couldn't pick out of a police lineup.  After all, who says Facebook gets to redefine "friend"?