The Limits of Friendship

10/27/2014

In this New Yorker article, Maria Konnikova examines how social media affects our ability to maintain meaningful relationships and adhere to Dunbar's number, the suggested cognitive limit to the number of stable social connections an individual can maintain. Konnikova discusses the concept of "ambient awareness" and how platforms like Facebook and Twitter can give the illusion of maintaining relationships with a large number of people while actually hindering meaningful connections. She also explores the role of social media in diminishing the quality of our interactions and contributing to feelings of loneliness and isolation. The article offers insights into the way social media impacts our social lives and raises questions about the true depth and authenticity of online friendships.

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