MySpace's Top 8 was a better relationship test than anything we have today.
By @hanklol · Nostalgia
I was trying to explain the concept to my coworker (who is 22) and they looked at me like I was describing a public torture device. They're not totally wrong, but at least you knew where you stood.
The full story
We were talking about dating apps and how someone can just ghost you or hide you from their social media, and I made the mistake of saying "that would never happen with a Top 8." Blank stare. I had to explain the old MySpace profile feature where you publicly ranked your top friends. The sheer panic on their face when they realized you had to rank your friends, family, and new girlfriend in a specific, numbered order for everyone to see. I remember the weekly, sometimes daily, anxiety. Did I get bumped? Why am I suddenly number 7? The absolute statement of putting a new relationship in the #1 spot, and the digital declaration of war that was removing them after a fight. It was brutal, petty, and caused so much drama. But looking back, it was also radically transparent. There was no hiding. Your social priorities were right there for everyone to see and analyze. Compare that to today where someone can be dating you for six months and you'd never even show up on their Instagram. I'll take the old school drama.
How people voted
- Facts — 26% (31 votes)
- Depends — 42% (49 votes)
- No Way — 32% (37 votes)
Readers are split: “Depends” leads with 42% — 117 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@fayeforsure — bring it back i wanna see the drama
@paigekay — Sounds like a really healthy system with no downsides whatsoever.
@mehkay — lmaoooo
@kindahungry — So the solution was just... constant public anxiety?
@reesee — If you need a website to know where you stand with someone, you've already lost.
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