Meme Infection

[swestrup]

Lately there was a meme going around where you asked folks why they had friended you. Even I got into that one, something I seldom do.

One thing I didn't do was answer many questions about why I had friended the folks on my list. I realized a couple of days ago that I was obscurely embarrassed by one of my various reasons. You see, some folks are on my friends list because I want to be infected with some of their memes.

I am someone who always finds myself tending to behave in a manner similar to my friends. Thus, I find it advantageous to have friends with traits that I admire, but which I tend to lack. Among those traits are: An eagerness to write, a gregarious nature, a forthright attitude, an ability to readily trust another person, and so on.

In retrospect, I suppose its no insult to say that someone is on my friends list because they have qualities I admire. On the other hand, it somehow feels like I'm just using them to better myself. I dunno.

There is also the fact that some of these folks were added because they had traits I admire, but I've come to like them for a whole host of reasons.

So, I have to ask: If you found out you were on my friends list, just because I wanted to be more like you, would you feel insulted?

Comments

[kinra.livejournal.com]

Hells no.

[thebabynancy.livejournal.com]

I believe Oscar Wilde said that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Or something... as long as you don't try and steal my soul... although I cannot imagine any quality one would admire or emulate in/of me.

[http://users.livejournal.com/hub_/]

agree with that.

[thothmeister.livejournal.com]

I'd feel no such insult.

[fordcov.livejournal.com]

nope, don't think I'd be the least bit insulted.

Just glad to have you aboard, for whatever reasons :)

[chickcurious.livejournal.com]

I would not find it insulting :)

[lasher.livejournal.com]

not insulting at all... think about it... we read other people's journals because there is something about them that we like/find interesting... the actual nuance of what is interesting about them or that you like... doesn't really matter.

if there wasnt something that we liked or admired about that person's writings... we wouldnt read them!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grey_knight/]

Not insulted at all. Curious, yes. I don't have enough hubris to think I'm on your friends list other than because you got tired of me posting anonymously enough to push me to get an account... inherited baggage so to speak.... ^_^

[designergirl.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be insulted, I would be flattered. =)

[skjalm.livejournal.com]

I'd be flattered. And, well, I'd be a hypocrit if I think it's a bad thing ;-)

[swestrup]

Oh, how much you devalue yourself. I have already publicly stated here and here how much I admire you. What makes you think that I don't have any reasons for that?

[swestrup]

<sarcasm>Yeah. That's it. Heaven forbid you might think that I actually like you or something.</sarcasm>

[gregorama.livejournal.com]

A little creeped out but not insulted. :)

[pphaneuf.livejournal.com]

Ha, reading this, I'm wondering whether I should be insulted that you haven't friended my more technical diary, pphaneuf_advo. ;-)

[pphaneuf.livejournal.com]

Which is hosed at the moment, huzzah. :-)

[swestrup]

That would have required you to have, I dunno, ever mentioned it, or something!

[sorceror.livejournal.com]

Flattered, definitely!

Though I now wonder what quality it was, exactly. ^_^

[pphaneuf.livejournal.com]

True enough!

[swestrup]

That depends, who are you again?

Actually, you were one of those folks that

a) I've actually met, and
b) Lots of my friends thought was worth knowing.

[ims.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be insulted; I would question your wisdom. :)

[auriam.livejournal.com]

Are you kidding? Emulation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[undinesprite.livejournal.com]

Totally would not be insulted. Flattered, actually. And perhaps amused that anyone would think that =)

[sorceror.livejournal.com]

Well thank you kindly.

Yep, I'm flattered. ^_^