The Wednesday Slice Question

Are those who know a mind-blowing number of people a vanishing species?

Just asking. I cannot cite any evidence to support an assertion that this is the case. But in 35 years of working for daily newspapers, I’ve known a few men and women like that. And I just don’t see them being replaced.

Sure, all kinds of people today are linked to a bazillion others via social media. That’s great. But how many of these folks would recognize one another if they passed on the street?

Look, the good old days were not all that great in many respects. But I’ll tell you this. Spending time with someone who knows an astonishing number of people by name has always been a clinic in connectivity.

Not all human contact is of the in-person variety, of course. But face-to-face does have a bit of tradition behind it. And it seems like the most prolific practitioners deserve some sort of salute before they are gone.