An article on the future of internet interpersonal relationships (thanks Cindy).

This article advocates friendster as more than an internet dating service in disguise (see my March 1 post on Friendster vs. the Blogosphere) - but as a networking site. Well, I have more others problems with it as such...Primarily rooted in my distaste for networking. First, I'm not very good at it. I don't like doing it. I don't like a) Using my friends for business relationships or b) pretending like my business relationships are my friends. I recognize right now I am coming across as an anti-social, incompetent a-hole, and a hypocrite because many of my jobs (in fact nearly all of the good ones) have been a result of a friend or friend of a friend, networking, etc.

Nonetheless, this entire transactional social interaction bugs me. Interpersonal ads bug me. Networking for business contacts bugs me. Fancy schmancy restaurants that primarily exist as deal-making places bug me. Internet dating bugs me. And yes, friendster bugs me.

There are certain things that once commodified, eliminates the value of the thing. Friendship is the perfect example. Imagine paying someone to be your "friend." I need to put it in quotes because the idea of paying someone already undermines the entire idea of being a friend. That's part of my issue with fraternities and sororities. Same goes for love.

Now with friendster, I understand you aren't exactly paying for friends - but you're bartering and viewing advertisements and you're generally moving into that realm of interaction. And to me, ironically, the more popular something like friendster becomes, the more diluted and uninteresting the network. It's like a big web of the people who send email forwards to everyone they've ever had as an email contact.

Maybe I'm being harsh. Maybe I'm being crotchety. Who knows. Send me comments.