Wednesday, 11 February 2009
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Craigslist's Missed Connections - Would You Try It?
Being a media major, I have no choice but to know about what's going on with the internet and how it affects people. Last semester I met with some girls from my anthropology class to discuss our project; and while we went over our project for a while, we moved on to gossiping and talking about boys. Then one girl from my group told me about Missed Connections on Craigslist. This is how it works:
Say I make eye contact with some guy on the subway. It's crowded and somehow I lose him in the mob of people during rush hour (the subway in NYC can be hell). Now I go home and feel as though I may have missed out on an oppurtunity with someone who intrigued me when we locked eyes on the train.
So, I post an ad, if you will, on Craigslist describing what the guy looks like, where we made eye contact (say the 7th Ave. stop on the E train) and then sit back and hope he knows about Missed Connections and finds my ad so that we can go on a date and see if sparks fly.
(here's a pie chart of all the possible places that two people could "connect" and not do anything about it)
How crazy is this? Is the internet allowing us at getting a second chance at possibly finding love? I think so. I think it's cool, but what are the odds that both people who exchanged smiles and glances will both know about this "missed connection" thing? And, I mean, New York is full of missed connections! Is it possible for two people to re-find each other?
Or does this interfere with fate? What if it's up to fate, not Craigslist, to bring two people back together? It amazes me how people are finding new ways to use the internet when it comes to the interaction between people.
Maybe for experimental purposes I'll test it out...
Have you ever put up a post on Missed Connections? Is it useful or creepy?
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- From: ally_bay_bee@xanga
- Name: Ally
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Comments (52)
It's definitely an interesting concept, but I doubt I'd ever use it, and now that I have a wonderful charming fiancee, I doubt I'll ever need to :)
But, if it works for others... more power to 'em!
i think that's such a cool concept. probably not all that effective. but i suppose if you really care enough to fill something like that out, its worth a shot, right?
the odds are way too small to bother
Haha, I didn't know that existed, But, the other day, I looked at the personals and had fun laughing my butt off at the ads posted. Wow! People are way too desperate on there. I don't know, maybe it works out, but ehh...it's not for me. =P
The free public newspapers in London have a column for this sort of thing. I personally find it amusing to read, because you never know what kind of loser is posting those ads.
I've posted up a missed connections post twice now. Its never worked. I did it more to see if it would actually work :P
Well, if not, they make for interesting reads for the rest of us! Like this one:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/abq/898542617.html
Or this one:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/860137375.html
Or this one:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/dal/796258913.html
I could go on... :)
The only problem with it is that not everyone knows or looks at Missed Connections. I've looked through some stuff in there just to see what kind of entries people write, but I'm not sure if any of them have ever been answered. I don't think it messes with fate or anything, if it was fate then perhaps the other person would think to check Craigslist. If they don't, it wasn't meant to be, I guess.
ITS STUPID AND ITS SAD THAT PEOPLE ARE THAT DESPRATE TO FIND LOVE...UGH PEOPLE LIKE THAT SERIOUSLY NEED TO GO PLAY IN TRAFFIC OR SOMETHING, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE WAYYY TO MUCH TIME ON THERE HANDS
i totally think its possible for two people to re-find each other :]. i doubt it interferes with fate, because fate both brought them to this not-that-popular site, craigslist.
i've never posted up on missed connections, but i think it can be useful to a degree. a friend showed me this. some of the posts are just so romantic how these people feel head over heels.
actually i did one summer! i was working at sheetz convenience store/gas station/awesome sub maker place a few summers ago, on third shift, and this extremely hot girl came to the counter in this stunning blue dress and was staring at me the entire time, her voice never higher than a whisper.
i was pretty weirded out by the whole thing but very intrigued, so i did it anyway. haha, lame, i know, but seriously, if you saw this girl, you'd know my desperation to find her again!
I actually have no idea these things exist? D:
perhaps fate brought you guys to missed connections! sounds like a really helpful site.
i think it's a cool idea in theory, but I've tried it and I wouldn't recommend it. Because the chances of the other person reading it, realizing it means them, and being interested are basically zero, and then you get about 5 messages soliciting you for sex or saying that "I think it's me!" When it definitely is not them.
*random comment*...
Interesting entry. I've actually browsed the missed connections section on Craigs List for entertainment, there are some funny ads on there. I think it's pretty pointless, I doubt many people actually "reconnect" through those ads. I'm siding with Fate on this one.
~1~
I love reading the Missed Connections. Â I find them hilarious. Â I love the ones that are like "I saw you at Petco. Â You were looking for a coupon for dog food. Â I was buying a snake." Â Hey, if it works out for people, great. Â I love it as a study in other people.
I looked on it once because I thought about posting something. Then I took a long hard look into myself and realized that, no, I'm not that desperate that I have to hold on to the only person I had a spark with that day. Besides, once I start on Craigslist I pretty much can spend all day there! It's HIGHLY amusing... try it!
@MusingsOfAnAlmostSocio@xanga - that first link is hilarious. The last link makes me want to... I don't know, *shudder*, creepy!
"does this interfere with fate?"
There is a great saying that goes something like this...Fate determines who comes into our lives; our actions determine who stays in our lives.
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. To look out with idle hope is tantamount to dreaming one's life away.
These are all cliche's, but so very true. You have to be proactive to get what you want. Fate can only take us so far. Our lives are for us to live, so it's up to us to make things happen.
I don't really use Craiglist, but I'm reading this right now and it's pretty interesting. I probably wouldn't use it though.
I like the idea of it and it's fun to read some of the missed connections, but I wouldn't put too much money on it working that often.
I check them almost every day just for fun and to see what kinds of funny things are on there . . . and then one day I found myself! my barista from starbucks put it up. even though i have a bf and told him that via a very carefully worded email (it's nervewracking replying, you guys), we emailed back and forth for a while and are facebook friends now.
i just like to read them for entertainment but i would never really post one
@ScarletMoth@xanga - LOL, so true.
@KasumiCelesta@xanga - Exactly.
@thinkin_up_dreams@xanga - If it's meant to be, it will be. Craigs List wont help.
@MusingsOfAnAlmostSocio@xanga - That first one is very humorous.
They need to make this "Missed Connection" thing a facebook app.