There comes a point in ALL relationships where communications is suspended. It's sometimes a temporary thing; but sadly, it's sometimes indefinite. Sometimes there's that deafening silence during a long drive home; and then there's when your attorney insists emphatically that, for your own good, you "refrain from any contact whatsoever."

Well, I heard a pretty emphatic "just shut the fuck up" come from the Web this week. LA Times columnist Joel Stein wrote an Op-Ed last Tuesday that sums up a growing feeling in the blogosphere: "Have something to say? I don't care. Don't bother sending anything -- BECAUSE I DON'T CARE!"

I remember the exact date and time when I said almost the exact same thing to my ex. No matter what he said, it was like nails on a blackboard. Arrrgh. I remember exactly when the straw broke the camel's back. I stopped him mid-diatribe: "I don't care about your stereo or your God-damn computer. I just fucking don't. Please... Shut up!" I took refuge in the bedroom, locked the door, and called my attorney directly.

Okay, I hear ya. "But divorce is down," you say. Let's put that in a little perspective. Generally speaking, committed "relationships" are down. According to a study by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University: The U.S. divorce rate is about 17.7 per 1,000 married women, down from 22.6 in 1980. But the marriage rate is also on a steady decline: a 50% drop since 1970 from 76.5 per 1,000 unmarried women to 39.9. Bottom line: society is far less stable. Cohabiting couples have twice the breakup rate of married couples.

Now apply that to the virtual world. On the frenetic Web, the make-believe land of porn, podcasters, petty thieves and pedophiles, where "friendship is a stranger who thanks you for the MySpace add," “relationships” seem to be at a breaking point.

How bad is it? This week Web celeb Steve Rubel called for a “Cease Fire at Blogosphere High.” Sherrilynne Starkie of Strive PR responded saying: "Stop all the sniping and nastiness? Of course it would be delightful, but it’s highly unlikely. What Steve asks people to do is to go against human nature... and that’s never going to happen." David Cote, principal at AgencyNext in an article titled, "Can’t we all just get along?...NOPE," characterized the problem thus: "The majority, however, are posting in their underwear at 2am after watching a re-run of Jerry Springer and wanting nothing more than to argue with someone, anyone."

The evangelists of this whole social-networking fad forgot one essential thing: people, i.e the dirty masses... the uncouth-drunken-my-Name-is Earl-trailerpark-meth-crazed-idiots struggling with the decision of whether to pee or puke.

Stein's solution is actually quite polite in its directness. His conclusions are fundamental. Simply, Joel has relationships; he doesn't have the extra time; and incorporating sporadic uninvited external input compromises his creative product. In his words:

"Here's what my Internet- fearing editors have failed to understand: I don't want to talk to you; I want to talk at you. A column is not my attempt to engage in a conversation with you. I have more than enough people to converse with."

"Is that a smart use of an employees' time? Why not just save a step and have them set up a folding table at a senior citizen center with a sign asking for complaints? I don't have time to listen to you. I barely have time to listen to me."

"A piece of work that stands on its own, without explanation or defense, takes on its own power. If Martin Luther put his 95 Theses on the wall and then all the townsfolk sent him their comments, and he had to write back to all of them and clarify what he meant, some of the theses would have gotten all watered down and there never would have been a Diet of Worms."

Simple enough. Joel's right on the money.

See... whether we want to admit it or not, all relationships are about cost/benefit. It's becoming more apparent that this blogging thing just isn't worth it. And the long tail grows more weary of all the bullshit with every day. The lying, the pretense, leaving the seat up, the constant flatulence, blogging just isn’t working out.

I don't know. Maybe it's the time of year. All my friends are getting divorced. I suspect it's good for the real estate business. Oh, well. Here's to new beginnings.

PS Joel... are you single? Would you call me?