6 ms·

Properly calling acquaintances such and not friends

11 points by jonsteinberg 17y ago

scott_s 17y ago
Jon, your running "Me Real Time" is extremely distracting. It kept changing while I was trying to read your post, and my eyes would involuntarily shift for a moment. It's frustrating. I didn't realize I could click to pause it until just now when I went to find out its title - I was trying so hard not to read it! But it's also not a good idea to require your site's readers to click something so they can focus on your posts.
- dasil003 17y ago
  Also, it's not real time. If it actually changed when you posted something (preferably with an animated transition) then it might be worth it.
duck 17y ago
I think you could blame Facebook (and other social platforms) for 25% of this misuse and human nature for the other 75%.
cookiecaper 17y ago
In my experience, most people speak of acquaintances as such, like "I know a guy..." or "I worked with a guy...". Maybe I'm just not rich enough to have associates who try to impress by name-dropping.
- dasil003 17y ago
  That's exactly the comment I was gonna leave. Acquaintance works in writing, but I can't imagine how to say it in casual conversation without sounding like a snob or a douche.
  - GFischer 17y ago
    It works in Spanish :) ("conocido" is a much common word than acquaintance)
ryanelkins 17y ago
I also find it difficult when sites like LinkedIn or Facebook want you to categorize your relationship, especially when that relationship is in its infancy. It seems a bit presumptuous to say "I've done business with X" when I just met them, even in a business context. I think it would be interesting if social sites and social graphs let you somehow define the quality of the relationship (each side could rate it and neither could see the other's rating). I'd like to see my strongest links to other people - even if it's not necessarily the shortest path.
gojomo 17y ago
The tendency towards inflated-familiarity varies by region and industry. I think LA/entertainment led the way, but online social networks are bringing the same friend-inflation worldwide.

11 points by jonsteinberg 17y ago

Jon, your running "Me Real Time" is extremely distracting. It kept changing while I was trying to read your post, and my eyes would involuntarily shift for a moment. It's frustrating. I didn't realize I could click to pause it until just now when I went to find out its title - I was trying so hard not to read it! But it's also not a good idea to require your site's readers to click something so they can focus on your posts.

dasil003 17y ago
Also, it's not real time. If it actually changed when you posted something (preferably with an animated transition) then it might be worth it.

duck 17y ago

I think you could blame Facebook (and other social platforms) for 25% of this misuse and human nature for the other 75%.

cookiecaper 17y ago

In my experience, most people speak of acquaintances as such, like "I know a guy..." or "I worked with a guy...". Maybe I'm just not rich enough to have associates who try to impress by name-dropping.

dasil003 17y ago
That's exactly the comment I was gonna leave. Acquaintance works in writing, but I can't imagine how to say it in casual conversation without sounding like a snob or a douche.
- GFischer 17y ago
  It works in Spanish :) ("conocido" is a much common word than acquaintance)

ryanelkins 17y ago

I also find it difficult when sites like LinkedIn or Facebook want you to categorize your relationship, especially when that relationship is in its infancy. It seems a bit presumptuous to say "I've done business with X" when I just met them, even in a business context. I think it would be interesting if social sites and social graphs let you somehow define the quality of the relationship (each side could rate it and neither could see the other's rating). I'd like to see my strongest links to other people - even if it's not necessarily the shortest path.

gojomo 17y ago

The tendency towards inflated-familiarity varies by region and industry. I think LA/entertainment led the way, but online social networks are bringing the same friend-inflation worldwide.