Facebook Friending

Facebook is hard. I don't mean it takes braininess, because it doesn't. Maybe just the opposite, in fact. It does require judgement, however, which makes it hard. Who has that anymore?

How hard can it be to decide who you want to "friend"? (That's a new verb, incidentally.) Not hard, basically, but who initiates the friending?

For example, my peers aren't on Facebook in throngs. If they were, then I'd friend them. Unless, of course, I've not seen them since high school and maybe then we weren't exactly friends anyway. Then I'd probably not friend them. Easy, cut and dried.

But I was a teacher. Does a student take the initiative and friend me? Many have and I appreciate it and reciprocate. But what about the student who is a little shy in the face of

somebody they'd see as an authority figure? Does a teacher friend them? Sometimes, if they were friendly together while in class. However, might students be reluctant to openly friend a teacher who taught them religion? Absolutely, if they have any sense and if it's possible they might reveal things or say things that could be difficult to say in front of someone they've discussed morals, doctrines and scriptures with. I hate to put former students in a dilemma like that, so I generally don't if I have any doubts.

I don't suppose I'm alone in this dilemma. Social protocol often gives me trouble anyway and this one isn't much different. But I'd like to hear what you think.