4 ms·

No, I read it exactly the same way - I guess the problem is that we probably need something paradoxical - we want to connect to things we know, but also to new

No, I read it exactly the same way - I guess the problem is that we probably need something paradoxical - we want to connect to things we know, but also to new things, people, places and experiences. But when we want them - otherwise they're an inconvenience. I think just talking to people you meet at random will probably be a better solution. (until I get murdered by a stranger!)

bemmu 10y ago
I guess the thing is that it can be a bit awkward when you're not expecting to talk to someone randomly. If there is some way for people to "opt in" for random encounters such as Tinder, couchsurfing Meetup.com, it makes things much smoother. What other sites are there that facilitate things happening in the real world? The MP3 experiment is perhaps my favorite.
e12e 10y ago
> (until I get murdered by a stranger!) It's much more likely that you'll be murdered by someone you have a close realtion with. (Apart from being a bit snarky, it's also true, and leads (back) to:) > I think just talking to people you meet at random will probably be a better solution. It is. (Speaking from experience) That said, one also get to know people online - from irc to games. I don't see any reason why a new "meet strangers" social network couldn't work. But if a majority of its users can't motivate themselves to talk to random people they meet - chances are the network will be coopted for some other agenda than "making new friends". Like "have more one night stands". And while sex is a healthy human activity, meeting people with the aim to become friends need a form of level playing field, and mutual intention. Fighting off one unwelcome sexual advance every now and then is part of the human condition - but having to do it every time you "meet" someone, it gets old really fast. Which is probably one reason people can meet in games: while people game for many aspects of gaming - most do it to relax and have fun.

bemmu 10y ago

I guess the thing is that it can be a bit awkward when you're not expecting to talk to someone randomly. If there is some way for people to "opt in" for random encounters such as Tinder, couchsurfing Meetup.com, it makes things much smoother. What other sites are there that facilitate things happening in the real world? The MP3 experiment is perhaps my favorite.

e12e 10y ago

> (until I get murdered by a stranger!) It's much more likely that you'll be murdered by someone you have a close realtion with. (Apart from being a bit snarky, it's also true, and leads (back) to:) > I think just talking to people you meet at random will probably be a better solution. It is. (Speaking from experience) That said, one also get to know people online - from irc to games. I don't see any reason why a new "meet strangers" social network couldn't work. But if a majority of its users can't motivate themselves to talk to random people they meet - chances are the network will be coopted for some other agenda than "making new friends". Like "have more one night stands". And while sex is a healthy human activity, meeting people with the aim to become friends need a form of level playing field, and mutual intention. Fighting off one unwelcome sexual advance every now and then is part of the human condition - but having to do it every time you "meet" someone, it gets old really fast. Which is probably one reason people can meet in games: while people game for many aspects of gaming - most do it to relax and have fun.