I have a theory that the basic unit of sociological analysis is neither the individual nor the collective but the Mexican standoff. A stable 3-way (minimum) entanglement of distrustful mutuality.
If two people have kompromat on each other, it’s safer to hold on than do an exchange and risk copies being saved. You need a mutually distrusted third party in the picture at least who either can threaten to leak to. Ideally also entangled via kompromat.
Once 2 people know embarrassing things about each other, they’re quantum entangled or something. It’s a more intimate relationship than either friendship or enmity. That’s why games like truth or dare are popular, to mint such entanglements