The technique is "unfriending", which was the New Oxford American Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2009 (actually it was "unfriend").
A year ago, this wasn't even word to us, now it is Something we are scared to do and mad when it is done to us.
I will admit, I have unfriended people on Facebook and Twitter. For many different reasons and it has been good thing. We can only take in some much information. There is no extra 40GB SDHC memory chip that we can pop in our brains to add more room. Our new social networking site have forced us to make choices because our brains are on overload. I still have two requests from those wanted to befriend me on Facebook that I am not going to friend in. I have no idea who they are, that one seems to be a no-brainer. When I stop following someone on Twitter, not sure they care like those you unfriend on Facebook. The Facebook people seem to get mighty angry when you choice to drop them.
We have been unfriending for years but it has been in person and much tougher. We have also, all been on the other end of being defriended. It is all a part of life. Sometimes we are banished for good, sometimes we are just moved to a lesser role, like one of an acquaintance. Either way, it happens and we deal with it. when you think about it being unfriended may be easier to deal with. then you have the being added as a friend which comes with its own baggage.
Of all the words that made the rounds in 2009, unfriend was the best/most used/popular. Really?. That should tell you Something about where we have been and more importantly, where we are headed.
What I do know is that we are a limited people with limited skills, brain power and motivation. The older one gets, the more you understand that life is precious and you have to put your time in the Cherish bucket. No room for all the drama that is brought on by ourselves or others. Time to move on, life is too short. A little bit of everything won't hurt you but when you reach an oversaturation point in your life and you are aware of it, time to do Something about it. I would have voted for oversaturation, whether it was a new word or not. Seems that unfriending and oversaturationg might have quite a bit in common and it may not be such a bad thing to be unfriended. You might have a whole bunch of time to do something you love with all your newfound time. In fact, go ahead and unfriend me, I won't mind a bit...
