Hypothetical: Helping people versus screwing people over.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I must say, I'm shocked at these results. 14% of you would sacrifice a Class-B friendship to help out a Class-A friend? And 25% would sacrifice a Class-C friendship for that purpose? And perhaps the most shocking of all, 65% would sacrifice a Class-D friend? Wow.

My philosophy is that a Class-A friend wouldn't expect you to destroy relationships to help them, so there's no harm done if you don't. I voted no on everything but the Class-G friendly stranger, and even then I felt kind of bad about it.

I voted no for B and C, but yes to the rest of them... I took D as one of those facebook friends who you might have initially chatted with when the connection was made, but otherwise hardly ever chat with online and might not even remember the last time you were interested in one of their updates or even noticed one.

I'd feel somewhat bad knowing they were on the wrong end of it, but C seemed to be the cutoff as far as those who really mean anything to you... in my mind, there's a pretty good gap between C and D, and there's not a huge difference between screwing over a D friend and a stranger (who might very well be D-friend material).

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I voted no for B and C, but yes to the rest of them... I took D as one of those facebook friends who you might have initially chatted with when the connection was made, but otherwise hardly ever chat with online and might not even remember the last time you were interested in one of their updates or even noticed one.

I'd feel somewhat bad knowing they were on the wrong end of it, but C seemed to be the cutoff as far as those who really mean anything to you... in my mind, there's a pretty good gap between C and D, and there's not a huge difference between screwing over a D friend and a stranger (who might very well be D-friend material).

Online relationships complicate the question a little. I was assuming that a Class-D friend would be someone who you see in social situations with some regularity because you run in the same social circle. You know their name and remember them and they seem nice, but you're not going to seek them out.

This poll is enlightening to me in a depressing way. If I can help a friend by screwing over a nameless, faceless stranger, obviously I will. But I sure wouldn't convert someone in my social circle into an enemy in a situation that is optional.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Online relationships complicate the question a little. I was assuming that a Class-D friend would be someone who you see in social situations with some regularity because you run in the same social circle. You know their name and remember them and they seem nice, but you're not going to seek them out.

This poll is enlightening to me in a depressing way. If I can help a friend by screwing over a nameless, faceless stranger, obviously I will. But I sure wouldn't convert someone in my social circle into an enemy in a situation that is optional.

In that case, it might also depend on whether the A friend and D friend run in the same circle as well.

On one hand, if they know each other and I tell A about an opportunity and mention D has already expressed interest, it then pretty much falls on A to decide if they're going to screw D... OTOH, I'd still feel bad, since it would destroy a couple of friendships. In that case, I'd probably lean towards staying quiet.

If A doesn't know D, then I think I'd be more likely to tell A and then deal with the fallout of D... except maybe if D is an A friend of one of my other A or B friends... I mean, I only see some people when hanging out with an A/B friend, so that's significantly different than perhaps someone I see due to some other link (a friend of a friend at a tailgate, a former coworker who I didn't work closely with, etc).