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It's... complicated. Just remember that you don't have to actually use Facebook. You merely need Facebook. In other words, Facebook is your social network; i

It's... complicated. Just remember that you don't have to actually use Facebook. You merely need Facebook. In other words, Facebook is your social network; it represents your circle of power. The more points you have on the circle, the more directions you can pivot in life. For example, often times the people who are the least capable can still be an advantage to you; they will be loyal to you, and they will help you when you have no other options. But, on the other hand -- you don't have to spend your time on Facebook. In other words, it's best to keep our identities as small as possible, so therefore it's a benefit to avoid making Facebook a part of our identity.

jhuckestein 14y ago
Is it necessary for friends to "be an advantage" to you besides just being your friends? When you spend a lot of time in places like HN, you're at risk of succumbing to some kind of extremist lifestyle where you have to rationalize even who your friends are or use dumbbells while you're brushing your teeth because it saves time. This is not necessary. I have friends from way back that can't relate to what I'm doing and will probably never "help" me in any way. However, when I go back home, I greatly enjoy spending time with them and for me that enough.
- kaybe 14y ago
  In my eyes, that's also a kind of help. Also, it is good for open-mindedness when not all people we hang out with come from the same group.
- sillysaurus 14y ago
  Is it necessary for friends to "be an advantage" to you besides just being your friends? No, not at at all. I just have no friends from my early days. (Ruthlessly bullied throughout school. Midwest children had no tolerance for programming geeks circa 2000.) One of the primary ways people can find "you specifically" is through Facebook, and the other way is through LinkedIn. That's all I meant by "you need Facebook". Recruiters, for example. I've gotten way more random LinkedIn offers that have led to jobs than I ever would've guessed. (~7 offers, 2 jobs. But of course the "offers" are just "offers to interview"; still, that's something.)

jhuckestein 14y ago

Is it necessary for friends to "be an advantage" to you besides just being your friends? When you spend a lot of time in places like HN, you're at risk of succumbing to some kind of extremist lifestyle where you have to rationalize even who your friends are or use dumbbells while you're brushing your teeth because it saves time. This is not necessary. I have friends from way back that can't relate to what I'm doing and will probably never "help" me in any way. However, when I go back home, I greatly enjoy spending time with them and for me that enough.

kaybe 14y ago
In my eyes, that's also a kind of help. Also, it is good for open-mindedness when not all people we hang out with come from the same group.
sillysaurus 14y ago
Is it necessary for friends to "be an advantage" to you besides just being your friends? No, not at at all. I just have no friends from my early days. (Ruthlessly bullied throughout school. Midwest children had no tolerance for programming geeks circa 2000.) One of the primary ways people can find "you specifically" is through Facebook, and the other way is through LinkedIn. That's all I meant by "you need Facebook". Recruiters, for example. I've gotten way more random LinkedIn offers that have led to jobs than I ever would've guessed. (~7 offers, 2 jobs. But of course the "offers" are just "offers to interview"; still, that's something.)