--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you need to appear on an internet list…" description: "\"If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether you're someone's friend, you may have problems a computer can't solve.\" — Merlin Mann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg" --- # If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether… ![“If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether you're someone's friend, you may have problems a computer can't solve.” quote by Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg) > “If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether you're someone's friend, you may have problems a computer can't solve.” [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on online status to gauge friendships is unreliable and can cause unnecessary anxiety. **In simple terms:** Online friend lists are unreliable for true friendship. Key Takeaway Seek real‑world connection over digital validation. Themes friendship technology anxiety Mood uncertain reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - dating - networking - social media use - mental health Key Concepts social validation digital identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a friendship beyond social media? - What real‑world signs indicate genuine connection? A Different Perspective Online lists can be manipulated or incomplete, leading to false conclusions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [“Bad decisions make good stories. --from an Internet list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis-vidler/bad-decisions-make-good-stories-from-an-internet-list/) Ellis Vidler > [That was the very heart of friendship...your willingness to help each other in a jam, to take a friend's problems as your very own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-broach/that-was-the-very-heart-of-friendship-your-willingness-to-help-each/) [Elise Broach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-broach/) > [Sitting there listening to your friend's problems and acting like you're a freaking psychologist or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sitting-there-listening-to-your-friend-s-problems-and-acting-like-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My best friend's problems are my problems!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-best-friend-s-problems-are-my-problems/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That awkward moment when you sit there listening to your friend's problems, acting like you're a psychologist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-aquirre/that-awkward-moment-when-you-sit-there-listening-to-your-friend-s/) Brenda Aquirre > [You were supposed to empathize with your friend's problem, but they were, after all, your friend's problems...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-were-supposed-to-empathize-with-your-friend-s-problem-but-they/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [You know when your friend loves you when you been through hell and back with her](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-miller/you-know-when-your-friend-loves-you-when-you-been-through-hell-and/) [Brittany Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-miller/) > [If I was rich I would pay people to be my enemy… and see if any of my friends will ask for payments.. then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-williams/if-i-was-rich-i-would-pay-people-to-be-my-enemy-and-see-if-any-of-my/) Dario Williams > [Sometimes you know a friend so well, you take for granted, 'Oh, they're just like this, and they're going to be okay.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-hunt/sometimes-you-know-a-friend-so-well-you-take-for-granted-oh-they-re/) [Brendan Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-hunt/) > [I don't know how to be a friend. I don't know how to be anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-don-t-know-how-to-be-a-friend-i-don-t-know-how-to-be-anything/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [My concept of an advice giver had been a therapist or a know-it-all, and then I realized nobody listens to the know-it-alls. You turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/my-concept-of-an-advice-giver-had-been-a-therapist-or-a-know-it-all/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [If you look across the room and all it takes is a little smile to know what your friend is thinking, then you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-look-across-the-room-and-all-it-takes-is-a-little-smile-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be careful of the people you call your friend, cause some of them don't know what a friend is and abuse that title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/be-careful-of-the-people-you-call-your-friend-cause-some-of-them-don/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Know this, that he that is a friend to himself, is a friend to all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/know-this-that-he-that-is-a-friend-to-himself-is-a-friend-to-all-men/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [You never really know someone until you have been their friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-best/you-never-really-know-someone-until-you-have-been-their-friend/) Walker Best ## More by Merlin Mann > [“Getting organized just means you’ve glued handles onto the various stuff in your life — you’ll still need to pick it up and carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/getting-organized-just-means-you-ve-glued-handles-onto-the-various/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Make the time to be scared of more interesting things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/make-the-time-to-be-scared-of-more-interesting-things/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Personally, it's changed my game - it's how I think now. Can't imagine writing more than a paragraph in anything that doesn't do MMD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/personally-it-s-changed-my-game-it-s-how-i-think-now-can-t-imagine/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Where you allow your attention to go ultimately says more about you as a human being than anything that you put in your mission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/where-you-allow-your-attention-to-go-ultimately-says-more-about-you/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Everything takes more time than you thought, everything costs more money than you thought, and almost everything turns out not quite as cool as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/everything-takes-more-time-than-you-thought-everything-costs-more/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [People with tiny glasses and costly shoes can always find a couple of hours to explain how you did it all wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/people-with-tiny-glasses-and-costly-shoes-can-always-find-a-couple-of/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Feeling creative produces great work in approximately the same way that "feeling like a doctor" makes you a gifted thoracic surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/feeling-creative-produces-great-work-in-approximately-the-same-way/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Creative work only seems like a magic trick to people who don't understand that it's ultimately still work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/creative-work-only-seems-like-a-magic-trick-to-people-who-don-t/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Creative work, summarized: In the time you set aside each day to work your ass off, ignore anything that makes you consider stopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/creative-work-summarized-in-the-time-you-set-aside-each-day-to-work/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [You're gonna die. You're gonna die. And nobody's gonna care which version of the iPhone you used to make something on Twitter, or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/you-re-gonna-die-you-re-gonna-die-and-nobody-s-gonna-care-which/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [“Put plainer, my sense is that western culture would be a damn sight poorer today if John Lennon had been forced to carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/put-plainer-my-sense-is-that-western-culture-would-be-a-damn-sight/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [I think all of the best nonfiction that has ever been made comes from the result of someone who can't stop thinking about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/i-think-all-of-the-best-nonfiction-that-has-ever-been-made-comes-from/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [Email is such a funny thing. People hand you these single little messages that are no heavier than a river pebble. But it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/email-is-such-a-funny-thing-people-hand-you-these-single-little/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [A priority is observed, not manufactured or assigned. Otherwise, it's necessarily not a priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/a-priority-is-observed-not-manufactured-or-assigned-otherwise-it-s/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) > [A lot of the best work I've ever done started out as something completely different because I gave myself permission to have space around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/a-lot-of-the-best-work-i-ve-ever-done-started-out-as-something/) [Merlin Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) [Explore all 49 Merlin Mann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/) ## More Computer quotes > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [One of our big goals in search is to make search that really understands exactly what you want, understands everything in the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/one-of-our-big-goals-in-search-is-to-make-search-that-really/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I'm from the South, so I'm very old-fashioned and I'm not very computer savvy at all, but I'm getting it. I understand that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-m-from-the-south-so-i-m-very-old-fashioned-and-i-m-not-very/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [A little bit more than 50% of what you see on screen is handcrafted and the other 50% was about emulating these textures on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-abreu/a-little-bit-more-than-50-of-what-you-see-on-screen-is-handcrafted/) [Alex Abreu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-abreu/) > [Well I'm trying to think what I put in... I think I put in 'why?' to see if I'd confuse the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/well-i-m-trying-to-think-what-i-put-in-i-think-i-put-in-why-to-see-if/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Our brains are great at knowing what to forget. We actually have to teach computers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/our-brains-are-great-at-knowing-what-to-forget-we-actually-have-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [Why do you do what you do? Why do you dress the way you dress?Why do you do what you do with your time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/why-do-you-do-what-you-do-why-do-you-dress-the-way-you-dress-why-do/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [Yeah, I'm a geek. I read sci-fi and I watch sci-fi films. I love my computer and I love to fix it. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/yeah-i-m-a-geek-i-read-sci-fi-and-i-watch-sci-fi-films-i-love-my/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) [Browse all 3,924 Computer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether you're someone's friend, you may have problems a computer can't solve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Merlin Mann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-list-to-know-whether-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-list-to-know-whether-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/merlin-mann-13792_computer_if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-lis_721305.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you need to appear on an internet list to know whether you're someone's friend, you may have problems a…” — Merlin Mann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Merlin Mann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-mann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you need to appear on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-list-to-know-whether-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-mann/if-you-need-to-appear-on-an-internet-list-to-know-whether-you-re/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```