When i first signed up with Friendster, it was fairly small and i didn’t know anyone on it. Since then, thanks to so many crazy blogs, it has blossomed into this intense social network that fascinates me on every personal and research level.
Of course, i look at it and the first question that comes to mind is whether or not folks who are high self-monitors will feel comfortable using it. Your friends are all equally accessible to anyone that you are friends with (or are friends with them recursively). What does this mean for the classic gay man who is closeted at work? Would he have two different profiles? Would he not accept friendships from folks from one community?
The answer seems pretty clear to me: the benefits generated by the increased transparency and connectivity of the network will effectively increase the cost of living a compartmentalized life. Philosophers, poets, and psychologists have long admonished us to “be whole,” “be true to ourselves,” and “not be ashamed of who we are.” This is easier said than done when you’re a polyamorous bisexual switch blogger who also wants to be on the Board of Trustees of a private nursery school hir child is attending. The choice? Give up blogging, or else give up being closeted. In my experience people respect clarity even if they would have made different choices.