being followed or friended

I was recently curious as to the rate of followers I was getting on twitter so I registered on a site that would deliver some data to me for my own use. I would receive an update about three times a day, indicating how many people I follow, how many follow me, who recently followed or unfollowed me.

I will be honest, at first, I was curious as to why people would follow me or unfollow me and I watched with anticipation as the number increased. At times, I would find myself tweeting statements I knew to be lightening rods of attention so I could artificially affect my 'numbers'.

Things begin to change when individuals who I had interacted with unfollowed me. It would be incorrect for me to say that it had no effect on me. What did I do? Am I at fault? Did I say something stupid? I questioned this same thing in regardes to being defriended in Facebook.

Not that this affected my personal self esteem but I realized I am secure with you I am and it really didn't matter. However, are there people out there that who follows/friends them carries significant weight or importance? Is their daily value determined by some number?

I hope that if it is occuring, that it is the exception and not the rule. As individuals, we add more to the equation by being honest to ourselves and others about who we are and what we believe in. Only by sharing this basic truth can we move forward together as humanity.