# How many people do you know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-do-you-know/299737 "2005-04-17T06:32:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Salad\_Day](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Salad\_Day](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salad_Day)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-do-you-know/299737/1 "2005-04-17T06:32:58Z")
An extremely broad, variable question, but I’m curious. I want to get sense of how many people an averagely sociable person meandering around life comes to know. And of course, “know” has a lot of meanings. I guess we’ll need somewhat less vague categories and use percentages: **The Amorphous Social Mass** - People you’ve heard about, who’s about two or three degrees separated from you. They teem in the background. Usually calls you when you win the lottery. **The Hi-Friend** - These you meet, sort of forget about, but both parties feel obligated to acknowledge the other anyway. For me, when I see them in the hallways, I say hi, they say hi, and we pass without stopping to chat, much to both our reliefs, I’m sure. **The Casual Acquaintance** - These people you stop for, but the ensuing conversation SUCKS ASS. I keep this awful smile on my face and nod and laugh stupidly just to be polite. **The Friend** - Comfortable to be around, usually invite to movies or parties. **The Good Friend** - These relationships have glorious history behind them. Will call up for midnight stealth missions. **Bestest Friend in the Universe EVAR** - You’ll know it if you have one. Makes life worth living. Sometimes people marry them. Obviously, celebrities and historical figures don’t count…unless you happen to know them personally. I tried to list everyone I know the other night but gave up. I know it’s not more than 200, and most likely far fewer. I would say a large chunk falls within the Amorphous Mass, Hi-Friend, and Casual Aquaintance categories, 60%? 70%? Then about 15-20% Friends, 5% for Good Friends, and unfortuately, I don’t have a best friend. More like two Super Good Friends I can’t pick between. So 1% for that category, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-do-you-know/299737/2 "2005-04-17T06:46:43Z")
I’m guessing 500-600. This gets sticky when you factor in people you know, and people you’ve known. This might be more accurately represented by “people you already know, that you might see in a years time”. Given that filter, I’d say 300-400. ---
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-do-you-know/299737/3 "2005-04-17T06:59:11Z")
> [@Salad Day](#): > > An extremely broad, variable question, but I’m curious. I want to get sense of how many people an averagely sociable person meandering around life comes to know. And of course, “know” has a lot of meanings. I guess we’ll need somewhat less vague categories and use percentages: > > **The Amorphous Social Mass** - People you’ve heard about, who’s about two or three degrees separated from you. They teem in the background. Usually calls you when you win the lottery. > > **The Hi-Friend** - These you meet, sort of forget about, but both parties feel obligated to acknowledge the other anyway. For me, when I see them in the hallways, I say hi, they say hi, and we pass without stopping to chat, much to both our reliefs, I’m sure. > > **The Casual Acquaintance** - These people you stop for, but the ensuing conversation SUCKS ASS. I keep this awful smile on my face and nod and laugh stupidly just to be polite. > > **The Friend** - Comfortable to be around, usually invite to movies or parties. > > **The Good Friend** - These relationships have glorious history behind them. Will call up for midnight stealth missions. > > **Bestest Friend in the Universe EVAR** - You’ll know it if you have one. Makes life worth living. Sometimes people marry them. > > Obviously, celebrities and historical figures don’t count…unless you happen to know them personally. > > I tried to list everyone I know the other night but gave up. I know it’s not more than 200, and most likely far fewer. I would say a large chunk falls within the Amorphous Mass, Hi-Friend, and Casual Aquaintance categories, 60%? 70%? Then about 15-20% Friends, 5% for Good Friends, and unfortuately, I don’t have a best friend. More like two Super Good Friends I can’t pick between. So 1% for that category, I guess. Good categories. I was going to go by how many people I recognize and how many of them recognize me in that case I’m going to guess 200 or 300 at least. But if I break it up let’s see how it adds up; **The Amorphous Social Mass** about 150 at least. **The Hi-Friend** about 50 **The Casual Acquaintance** 30 OR 40 but I define it somewhat differently. Like a friend only because you do things with them but other than being part of the same large group when going somewhere you don’t really talk or hang out. **The Friend** 12 or so. **The Good Friend** 5 **Bestest Friend in the Universe EVAR** 1 person but I also define it differently because my Bestest Friend is a guy and we ain’t gettin’ married. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-do-you-know/299737/4 "2005-04-17T15:03:31Z")
Does anyone really _know_ anyone? :dubious: …what?