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The Different Types of People There Are on the Internet

JA February 07

Is there anything better than the internet? Is there any better than the generic categorisation of people on the internet? If your answer is ‘no’ then this post, which features more such wisdom from Though Catalog, is for you:

People Who Have Won the Internet

People who deftly dramatize and inhabit the internet; people who have read the whole thing; people who determine the rules of internet engagement. There aren’t a lot of them but there are too many to name–so maybe it is time we started a list. I will offer my top five: Molly Lambert, Julian Assange, Tavi, Andrey Ternovskiy, and Ned Raggett.

People Who You Went to Grade School with Who Are Now Delusional About Your Former Friendship

You don’t really remember this person. You think maybe your mom made you invite them to your 11th birthday party, but you are not sure. Fast-forward 10-15 years, and they have found you on Facebook and Twitter, and added you on Gchat by finding your email address on your portfolio site. They remember “the good times back in the day.” You do not. You are not sure you were there for that glorious past they are always talking about.

People Who Are Obscenely Obsessed with Social Networking

These people are in their twenties or thirties living in urban areas. They consider the promotion of their personal brand their top priority. Personal philosophies may include: “Didn’t Twitpic, didn’t happen” or “History is made through Facebook photos.” … They are usually charming and may genuinely enjoy hanging out IRL, but can’t fully relax without taking a strategic picture or updating their status. They consider themselves ‘cultural tastemakers’ and use social networking to inform and entertain their audience. When saying goodbye, they are more likely to say “@ me!” or “Tag me!” where most normal people would suggest “Call me!”


 

Comments

by digitalburnout
07 Feb 11 at 9:55

Great typology!

I think you need to add to your ‘People Who Are Obscenely Obsessed with Social Networking’ the many (self-promoting) men in their fifties who like to overstate the number of people in their twenties or thirties who are trailblazers in social networking :) It’s a cosy little feedback loop

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