In a much-linked-to post, a fremesis of mine, Susan Orlean, in an oh-so-mildly amusing manner, catalogs types of relationships in the digital age. The last couple categories (one of which Kottke Kottkesquesly calls “Algorithmic Friendship”), seem on-target, though they fall (rhetorically) short of a phenomenon that’s even more ubiquitous these days — the ambient acquaintance.
Even the lowest level of Orleans’ tossed-off taxonomy assumes some interaction and engagement, but there are even weirder, (I suppose) lesser relationships or acquaintanceships that regularly occur online.
(Here I’ll say: Despite blogging since 2001, tweeting since FAVOTTER, and joining like 3/4 of the modestly warm startups over the past 7 or so years - professional hazard - I’ve never met any internet “friend” [or acquaintance] in real life. I’m not really against it; I just don’t do it.)
The ambient acquaintanceship would smell something like this: You follow and/or are followed by someone. You dig (or heart or star or somehow, in a positive way semiotically engage) their shit. You know their drink of choice, for sure. And you have some vague idea that they know yours. You have a general idea how many kids they have. How they pay their bills. And what their politics are (they’re the same as yours). You get what they think is funny.
But you don’t meet them, or need to. Or even interact much — if at all. That’s not bad or good, either, by the way. It just is, for most people. Everything is real; little is close; everything is ambient.
