I’ve been reflecting on friendship a lot lately. We enjoy being around friends who express unconditional love, care, and appreciation for us. Regardless of our independence, courage, empowerment, or financial stability, we all fundamentally desire connection with others.
Friendship, in its original sense, was regarded as a virtue of significant philosophical importance. Over two thousand years ago, Aristotle taught in the Nicomachean Ethics that friendship is a core human need, essential for happiness and virtue.
He argued that we need friends to live a fulfilling life. After all, when life is difficult, they support us, and when life is joyful, they celebrate with us.
Socrates regarded friendship as more than mere companionship; he saw it as a means to discover truth and wisdom. He reportedly expressed scepticism about letter writing as a path to wisdom, favouring face-to-face interaction with peers.
Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, concerns were raised that landline telephones would dilute interaction or foster unhealthy social behaviours. Adding to those fears has been the domination of social media and instant connectivity, which have effected significant change.
Having navigated the complex landscape of contemporary relationships, I believe that the fear surrounding friendships — and even the very concept of friendship itself — has changed significantly over the past few decades.
Today, social media encourages us to value quantity over quality, promoting images of glossy perfection at the expense of forming deep, intimate connections. An increasing number of young people are realising that their closest companions are not relatives or classmates, but rather individuals they have never met face-to-face.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, we all had to respond to the reality that we couldn't see our friends in person. Some people isolated themselves completely, which impacted their mental and physical health. At one point, many of us began to question whether this was the new reality we had to accept.
Just imagine - if the lockdown had occurred a couple of decades earlier, any contact with people we did not live with would have taken place via phone calls, emails, or letter writing.
The idea of being alone is frightening, especially when you have no one to turn to due to a pandemic and other factors, such as knowing that your friends are vulnerable to the virus.
Many people turned to online support options, as there was a growing need to create a safety net and a broader range of social and emotional support resources. Email, text messaging, and social media can indeed be both enjoyable and beneficial, often fostering meaningful relationships.
However, there is a prevailing notion that friendships blossom only within the digital landscape, unlike those formed through face-to-face interactions. I believe real-life friendships are more meaningful because of their physical presence and shared experiences.
During a recent college alumni meeting, I had the good fortune of spending time with many friends. After such a long time, meeting again, catching up, laughing, and creating new memories felt truly special. The happy faces I saw stayed with me, and witnessing old friends reconnect was truly inspiring.
It also reminded me of the days when I actually lived in Oman. It brings a warm mix of comfort and longing. I have so many fond memories from that time with my friends and colleagues. Now, when I reflect on the passage of life, those were beautiful moments I wouldn’t trade for anything - times when everything was calm, peaceful, and well-guarded.
The virtue of friendship is universally cherished. As the world celebrates International Friendship Day on July 30 amid profound divisions between nations, within societies, among individuals, and even within families, the day calls for a future where differences do not create distance and trust prevails over fear.
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