150 or 5,000?
Dear Mr. Menaker,
A pleasure to meet you at your book reading last night. I am finishing up Founding Brothers by Ellis, but I read part of your intro.
Two things so far have stood out. First one was the incident you mentioned about toeing the company line and not giving out a recommendation. Then going on to say it was a social-policing. Those two words had an impact on me. Whether positive or negative time will tell.
The second one is where you wrote that Prof. Dunbar said the brain could only maintain 150 relationships at one time, yet Facebook has space for 5,000. One of them has got to be mistaken.
Looking forward to reading your book.
Sincerely, Burton Hardy
Dear Burton,
Thanks for coming to the reading on Monday at the Half King. You were all a great audience. And yes, social policing, done through gossip, has a bright side and a darker one. Keeps us in line but sometimes also keeps us from empathy. Regarding the 5,000 Facebook friends: As far as real friends are concerned, I’ll stick with Professor Dunbar’s number–150. And even that is pushing it.
Thank you for writing.
Dan Menaker
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