HW 56

What do you think makes a good friendship?

Interview 1:
One must be able to relate and feel comfortable around the person they are friends with. In addition friends should be able to trust one another.

Interview 2:
Common experiences and interests common ideology. Friends should have some similar background so they have something to connect with each other about.

Interview 3:
Three main factors into a good friendship are, trust, loyalty, and being understandable with each other, "its not all about me, its about us" attitude. Leaning more towards the fusion than the autonomy aspects of relationships.

Interview 4:
Mutuality is probably an important factor. There should be a sense that you can be needed by, and you can need your friend- maybe "want" would be more appropriate. But friendship requires trust; that if I am willing to open myself up- if I am willing to leave a crack in my wall for you, that you won't betray me and use that trust to hurt me. And hopefully, in return, you would do the same.

Generally, trust and relatability seem to be the primary reoccuring aspects that strengthen a friendship.

How much do you think proximity affects friendship?

#1:
I see ***** once a week and we're still good friends. As long as you talk to the person constantly, one can still have a good friendship.

#2:
Proximity has a very profound affect on friendship, when you're forced to be around people, you're more likely going to interact with then. Like in school, students share common experiences and will interact with one another, but this can lead to friendships or enemies, it is not always a positive relationship.

#3:
I'm closer with ******(1) (her neighbor) than I am with ******(2) (friend who she used to go to school with and recently moved to Canada). But when ******(2) lived here I was closer with her than ******(1).


#4:
Well I think that it depends on the type of friendship that you have. For friendships that are more based on sharing our stories, as each of us live through them, it would require the friends to be relatively close. Otherwise, there would seem like there are missing chapters. However, if the friendship is based on something like sports, those friends can maintain the same level of friendship, even after months of not seeing the other person.

In addition to proximity, how often you see the person has an affect on the friendship.

Honesty?

#1&2:
If there no honesty, there is no trust, and if there is no trust, there is no friendship. Just like *****, I can't trust him to come to practice, so now we're not friends anymore.

#3:
You want to hear the truth from your friends. If they are not honest with you, are they really your friend?

#4
This ties back to what I said in response to the question about proximity. If people lie to you, it's like they're telling you a story that is not even their own. Honesty is definitely something that is needed, but hardly ever there. Because without it, either sides of the friendship could easily feel betrayed.

Long Distance Relationships?
#1:
They could work. Its possible.

#2:
They need to start in close proximity. Once the bond has strengthened enough, then one can survive a long distance relationship.

#3:
they never work...I guess it depends...I don't think they work.

There seems to be mixed opinions on long distance relationships.

#4
Most of us would hope that it works, but I guess that if it doesn't, then maybe those people weren't true friends, rather they were just a temporary distraction, or temporary stress-reliever.

What do you think is a more significant factor in friendship? Honesty? or Proximity?

#1&2: Honesty

#4: Honesty

Overall, some aspects of friendship tend to be, commonalities, trustworthy-ness, loyalty, friends should be comfortable with each other, friends should have similar backgrounds to connect with each other, proximity, honesty, and how often you see the person. So the ideal friend must be some combination of all of these factors.

Survey Question: What is more important to you in a friend, proximity? or honesty?