Facebook BFF?

So, the Facebook issue.

Let me first start off by saying I've connected with a lot of people that I've missed dearly over the last few years. Old college friends, grade school pals and even a past boyfriend or two (umm…not that kind of connected). Plus it lets someone like myself - by that, I mean someone who avoids telephone conversations like the plague - keep in touch with current friends.

My point being that it's been an enjoyable experience…so far.

Then there's the other aspect. Random people I know (and I use the term "know" loosely) wanting to be my "friend".

I'm talking individuals from high school who I barely spoke more than 5 sentences to (and in a graduating class of only 85 people, that's very very sad). I'm not saying I was too popular to talk to them nor were they too cool to talk to me. We just didn't have anything in common. We didn't have anything to say to each other.

So why am I getting friend requests along with messages like "Erica, how have you been? I haven't heard from you in forever!".

Umm…because we aren't friends. We were never friends, currently aren't friends and I would bet my life savings (which in this economy honestly isn't that much) that we never will be friends. So what do you want?

Is it people's innate obsession to know as many other people as possible? Are we all still carrying a lunch tray through a junior high school cafeteria, hoping we're welcome at every table? Is everything (including Facebook) still just a front for yet another popularity contest?

I don't have the answers but, in the meantime, I'm denying your friend request.