In any case, the only issue I had was the absolute terms you couched your statement in. “It’s because they’re using a script”; “the two of you never made a valid connection, and never will.” I don't think those statements are absolutely true.

If you're saying, on the other hand, “most of the time” and “probably,” then I don't have a problem with it. But I don't think your statements apply to every situation where someone drops you shortly after you drop them, is all I'm saying.

I think we're confusing my use of the word 'connection'. I just don't mean you've exchanged a couple of tweets some time in the past. I'm talking predominately about the accounts that follow tens of thousands of people here. They don't notice and most of the time they don't care. Those following just a couple of hundred or less do notice, and often will care.

The SocialToo emails allow me to see all this happening and in those cases where it seems an unusual decision (because there IS a connection) then like you I'll usually follow it up. Often this reveals that it was a mistake, or the other user is having a big reboot and you got caught up in that. Sometimes it's very intentional, and the information sent back as to why that decision was made can be of some benefit.

And yes, sometimes feelings to get hurt. It's real people, after all. But if you just boot somebody simply and only because they booted you, without finding out what happened and why, then I'd argue that any 'connection' probably wasn't all that important to either of you. It became simply a matter of saving face and personal pride, which is an absolutely valid, but very different thing.

Even defining a “script” as anything, even just a notification e-mail (as opposed to the way I would define it, which is something that automatically follows/unfollows), that still doesn't negate the point.

If someone uses a “script” in that they receive notification whenever someone unfollows them, and then they choose to unfollow you, that doesn't mean there wasn't a “connection.” It could mean several things.

1) It could mean that the connection was there, but wasn't very deep. When you unfollow them, they reciprocate, since they're not interested in a one-way connection. But to say there was “no connection” simply because it may not have been a close connection is simply false.

2) It may have been a close connection, and the person may be offended by the unfollow, and may reciprocate because they're offended or their feelings are hurt. Again, unfollowing here doesn't mean there wasn't a connection. In fact, in this case, it may actually be proof of a connection.

If someone that I had a very close connection to unfollowed me, I'd probably send them a note asking about it (though I wouldn't be able to DM). But there's a wide range of people short of that, with whom I don't have a deep connection, but with whom I still have a substantial connection, with whom, if they unfollowed me, I'd probably unfollow back, simply because I'm offended. That doesn't mean there was no connection there.