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Beyond a mutual inclination between two individuals who are not from the same family, friendship is a very strong feeling and, for most of us, as essential as love. "A true friend gives their heart unreservedly, without conditions, and solely because they love. They possess the sincerity, delicacy, and fidelity of the sentiment," wrote Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his "Thoughts of a Right Mind" in 1826. Regardless of your success or social class, a true friend is always there for you. Beyond shared good times, they are expected to protect and care for you in any circumstance. Let's delve into this cornerstone of human relationships.
Definition of Friendship
By definition, friendship is a mutual affection, a mutual attachment between two individuals who are not part of the same family. The friendly relationship is similar to the romantic one, except there is no exclusivity or sexual attraction. Friendship often forms around common interests, shared hobbies, and similar tastes. Friendship follows five fundamental rules: trust, confidentiality, commitment, honesty, and authenticity. It is not just an "acquaintance" with whom you share outings, parties, and mainly good times. And it's definitely not someone you meet on social media among hundreds of so-called "friends." It's not a superficial relationship; quite the opposite! A true friend is present all the time, in the best and worst moments. They will listen to you and comfort you when you are at your lowest. Furthermore, a friend never judges; you can speak freely with them and confide all your secrets. They are your confidant. Friendship is selfless. "Real" friends are usually few and far between, as they are precious and sometimes challenging to find. Despite distance and the passage of time, it's easy to reconnect with a friend. They understand that you may not provide regular updates and don't hold it against you. The concept of choice is crucial because while "you can't choose your family," friendship is an emotional bond between people who choose each other. This choice, often explained by "affinities," is unconsciously guided by our upbringing and emotional needs. This choice can extend to people we perceive as similar or different.
Friendship Between Men and Women
It has long been believed that women maintain their friendships through discussions, confidence, and emotional intimacy, while men tend to bond through shared activities. However, in recent years, these trends have evolved, with women increasingly seeking to connect with others through shared activities, and men revealing their feelings more. Managing sexual attraction is the (very) delicate point of cross-gender friendship. In fact, 20 to 30% of men and 10 to 20% of women acknowledge the existence of sexual attraction in a male-female friendship. Studies show that men are more often attracted to their female friends. In other words, men often misinterpret the friendly signals from their female friends. Sexual attraction poses a real problem in male-female friendship for several reasons: it can transform the friendly relationship into a "self-interested" one, which is incompatible with the altruistic ideals of friendship. Furthermore, it encourages the emergence of a "theatrical aspect" of personality, used to attract and seduce the other, reducing the authenticity, sincerity, and spontaneity essential to true friendship. Researchers have shown that in the majority of cases, there is always some level of attraction between the two. Most of them avoid acknowledging it, considering that declaring it would seriously jeopardize the beautiful friendship that has developed between them. This attraction could, notably, trigger delicate feelings of exclusion and permanently end a beautiful friendship.
Friendship Links on the Website
While the majority of dating websites focus on finding love and sex, our website offers, beyond these orientations, the opportunity for the loneliest to initiate friendships, create a social network, and exchange messages in peace: through personal messaging but especially through parallel communication channels such as forums, blogs, chat, and games that everyone can participate in. Not to mention the regional groups that promote real-life meetings through various activities. And with the recurrence of your participation, you will gradually encounter the same people and begin to form friendly bonds with them. We are proud to contribute to the formation of these friendships that alleviate the feeling of loneliness and prevent isolation.
We know many members who have formed very strong friendships thanks to our website. If you recognize yourself, don't hesitate to share your testimony! ;-)
Photo: oneinchpunch © stock.adobe.com
Editor, 14.09.2023
