Re-thinking on Social Networks

The first thing that comes to my mind speaking of Social Networks like Orkut, Facebook etc. is the virtual representation of our social networks in real-life, of who we know how we know and with whom all we are related and how.

Current scenario of every other website having some essence of its own social network bugs me a bit, one can't just join every-other social network like crazy, its even pointless to catchup that way with folks you know on each social networking site. To me it looks that Social Networking needs to be re-thought about.

Social Networks of today over the web are lot of manic culture & stupid n' complex apps already, and lot of thanks goes to Facebook, Orkut will madly follow on that shortly with its Open Social initiative.

De-centralization is the only way Social Network mess can be avoided, I wonder if some work in that direction being put yet. I'll love to have freedom to quit or re-join various Social Networks when they are in-sane or sane again, without loosing valuable links to the people I've known for real by various means.