Friendship

[angellight]

a life is never a personal experience, there'll always be outside influence, be it wanted or unnecessary. through these relationships are forged, and from the very base word itself - 'relation' - one can tell that there is a need to bond or link with other people. we call these people friends.

but why is it that we find an interest in these people and call them friends? why do we even bother to find out more about them? why do we even want to be friends in the very first place?

is it an innate, selfish reflex action such that we see them able to complement our way of live or activity by being provider of resource that we befriend them, in which case can be deemed as purely mercenary motivation? or is it because in these people we see some part of ourselves? a part that we are in possession of, or are in want of, so much so that our interest is duly piqued in their direction?

if indeed it is the latter, then why is it that we so often take our friends for granted, treating them like they will always be there, turning to them only in time of dire need, confiding in them without ever caring about their problems? not acknowledging them when they are about, or neglect their very presence or return? is this then, what friendship is all about? a one-sided relationship based purely on material, emotional gains?

here we dissect, discuss, debate and discover the true meaning of what exactly friendship is...

[CoolNard]

Wow... Not a bad thread. Wait 'till I've refilled my brainjuices... I'll come back... XD

[terra104]

i think its either plato or aritotle who said, humans are social, logical animals!
Roussaue argued that we in the hunter gatherer area, we were loners, but then we started a civil society, which made life easier
Although, in this state [civil society], he deprives himself of some advantages which he got from nature, he gains in return others so great, his faculties are so stimulated and developed, his ideas so extended, his feelings so ennobled, and his whole soul so uplifted, that, did not the abuses of this new condition often degrade him below that which he left, he would be bound to bless continually the happy moment which took him from it for ever, and, instead of a stupid and unimaginative animal, made him an intelligent being and a man” (The Social Contract, 195-196).

so we need friends, and we need to be part of something has to do with our weakness of being a perfect being, that needs not any help.
we need it as part of the hierarchy of needs as well, we cant rach the self-actualization top of the pyrimiad state unless we fullfill our basic needs... one of those is belonging ( look maslow for more info)

dunno id it make sense or not, cause im in a hurry, but in a few words we are selfish beings, we use friendship as a mean for out own selfish end!

gr8 thread!!!

[CoolNard]

Lol, I heard once that friends are for you to "use and abuse"... kinda true in a negative sense, I guess, if you deepen the depths of your thinking. Humans need friends because we're weak, both physically and emotionally.

[fuu]

Weakness or not, having friends is important. Think for a moment about a time in your life when you felt alone. Everyone has them. Eventually someone who is a friend will come and then your not alone anymore. I guess it can be one sided alot of the time. But I would be there in a second if any of my friends needed me. If we use and abuse our friends then I guess it is only us doing what they do. Perhaps that is what friendship is, being able to be there for your friend and take whatever they have to throw at you because in the end when you need them they'll take it from you.
(I'm confusing myself now)

[terra104]

Originally Posted by fuu

Weakness or not, having friends is important. Think for a moment about a time in your life when you felt alone. Everyone has them. Eventually someone who is a friend will come and then your not alone anymore. I guess it can be one sided alot of the time. But I would be there in a second if any of my friends needed me. If we use and abuse our friends then I guess it is only us doing what they do. Perhaps that is what friendship is, being able to be there for your friend and take whatever they have to throw at you because in the end when you need them they'll take it from you.
(I'm confusing myself now)

so ur saying its more of a need!

[fuu]

Yes. People need other people to acknowledge them. Without this kind of interaction I believe one would go insane.
It is an as needed sort of thing. When I'm needed I'm there when they're needed they are supposed to be there.

[CoolNard]

Yup, we need friends cuz we can't bear being alone all the time right? That's what I meant by "weak"

[Kakashi]

[post deleted]

[CoolNard]

Same reason as me I guess =P

I feel the same goes for the number of people you hv on your buddy list. What does it really do? All it acts as is just a confirmaton for yourself of the number of people whom you're aqcuainted with, not friends, nah uh. One reason why I don't open my buddy list much, or at all. I suppose. 'Till now, I'm not sure exactly how many people have added me lol. But I'm guessing none ^_^ Either that or I'm a buddy list function amateur