Oh yes, it doesn't bother me. I think the way I spout my opinion like that is something my friends either tolerate because it's the only really imposing behaviour that I have (that I know of??), or they find it amusing that I can make such a faux pas so obliviously.
Actually I was trying to think how many friends I have. How many people that I consider "friends" do not consider me? How many vice versa? It gets me to thinking about this TED talk I saw once about how human social networks function, and how certain genes define how many friends you'll likely have, and what social gene types THEY will have.
There are people who have "hub" genes, where they sit closer towards the centre of the social network, with heaps and heaps of acquaintances that they touch base with often and gain all the latest information. These people are like information relays for the network. From an evolutionary standpoint, this has the benefit of being informed about events and being able to react to things in a more organised fashion. The drawback is... plagues! Fires! Famine!
Then there's the other extreme, people who are "leaves". They have only a handful of close, trusted friends that they share much information with. These people are isolated from social calamities, but aren't as informed about things that are happening around them.
There's more to it, those are just the two extremes that I remember. I fall into that latter category. I imagine most artistic people would, since isolation gives them space to think and work.
P.S. You're all my fwiends
P.P.S. Actually I think they mentioned something about the internet radically changing the evolutionary dynamic of social interaction. You're all my neo-friends!
