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- A conversation around friendship had Twitter users buzzing with reactions, each sharing their seemingly unconventional opinions
- From encouraging conditional friendships to criticising women’s friendships, the netizens of Tweetville held nothing back
- In this article, The Love Central spotlights ten interesting hot takes on friendships that will have you doing a double take
When it comes to friendships, everyone has got that one story – either an exceptionally good experience, a bad one, or even a rib-cracking tale. These experiences collectively form people’s opinions about how to navigate friendships.
Recently, a Twitter post prompting people to share their unconventional opinions about friendships saw a torrent of eye-popping and interesting takes.
Below are 10 comments on friendships which I found interesting:
1. Friendships require same energy as romantic relationships
For many people, good friendships are not without a fair amount of forgiveness and grace. This is why holding friendships to a higher standard than relationships is tagged unfair by some people.
“Friendships require the same effort, love, grace, consistency, kindness, patience, forgiveness, vulnerability and trust that you give to romantic relationships. Stop treating friends like they are replaceable just because of disagreements or misunderstandings. Do the work.”
2. You need more than one true friend
While a lot of people believe that you only need to keep one real friend close, there are some who believe this is burdensome on the friend in question.
“You NEED more than one true friend. When you have just one friend you overburden them with your emotional needs and they’ll get tired one day. Have different friends who fill different emotional needs in your life. Have different levels of connections with these friends too.”
3. Distance yourself from friends in toxic relationships
Like any of your loved ones, there is always that strong need to protect your friends from getting hurt, especially when it seems like they can’t help themselves out of the dark hole.
However, one Twitter user is saying that it is important to protect your mental health – by distancing yourself from such a friend.
@IamKiraJ: “It’s ok to distance yourself from friends that are in toxic relationships. It’s very draining to be friends with someone that calls you crying & emotionally dumping every other day about someone they refuse to leave.”
4. Friendship is more important than marriage as a woman
This is certainly one hot take that got a lot of people talking. According to this Twitter user, friendship, for women, is more important than marriage while the reverse is the case.
@sugabelly: “If you are a woman, friendship is far more important than marriage. Statistically, if you ever get murdered, the killer will be your husband, while if you ever experience difficulties or tragedies, the most supportive person will be your friend, not your husband. If you ever get seriously ill, your husband is far more likely to abandon you than your friends.
“Conversely, if you are a man, marriage is far more important than friendship. Statistically, if you ever get murdered, the killer will be your male friend, while if you ever experience difficulties or tragedies, the most supportive person will be your wife, not your friend. If you ever get seriously ill, your friend is far more likely to abandon you than your wife.”
5. Financial changes negatively affect friendships
There are people who believe that one cannot be good friends with someone who is always broke because, according to one person, at some point, ‘people will get tired of carrying your bill or your own shame will send you to hibernation.’
Here’s another take:
@KiaRichards_: “Changes in socioeconomic status, especially when one friend is doing significantly better than the other, will negatively impact the friendship. If your friends aren’t coming up together or are in similar economic situations, then that friendship will be on life support.”
6. Most women are poor at handling friendships
Women are believed to be more in tune with their emotions, therefore making them better friends. However, one Twitter user does not think so.
@thecindynoir: “Society puts top priority on Women to learn how to be good romantic partners and mothers, but not good friends. That coupled with the fact that society breeds competition between Women, I’d argue that a majority of Women don’t know how to be GOOD friends to each other.”
7. Having sex with your friends is okay
For some people, introducing sex in a friendship is one of the fastest ways to ruin such a bond. However, this Twitter user encourages it.
@AmyIsPolyam: “If it’s mutually desired, having sex with your friends *and then staying friends* is actually perfectly possible, fine, and rather lovely. We’ve all just been conditioned by mononormative bullshit to think that sex has to Change Things Forever.”
8. It’s okay to have conditional friendships
Many people believe that true friendship is unconditional. However, for some people, conditional friendships are not such a bad thing.
@samoalfred: “It is okay to have conditional friendships at certain stages of your life. They are meant to serve certain purposes during life’s journey. The moment you try to force it beyond that period, you can likely get burnt. Friendships that last a lifetime aren’t forced. They happen naturally.”
9. Good friends don’t always make good roommates
Just because you have a lot of things in common with your friends does not mean that co-habiting with them will be easy-breezy.
@__nanaopare: “The fact that you are good friends with someone doesn’t guarantee that the person will be a good roommate to you.”
10. Friendships expire
Unlike diamonds, some friendships are not forever. Many people are of the opinion that learning to recognize when a friendship has run its course is crucial as some friendships are only meant to be there for a season and that is okay.
@lifeofgloria_: “Friendships do expire, and it doesn’t necessarily imply there has to be any sort of drama behind it.”
Do you agree with these opinions? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Unlocking the Secrets: How to Build Lasting Friendships That Truly Matter
Friendships contribute greatly to our overall well-being and happiness. Research has shown that having strong social connections can improve our mental health, boost our self-esteem, and even lengthen our lifespan.
Friendships provide emotional support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. They offer a space where we can be ourselves, share our joys and sorrows, and feel understood.
However, building lasting friendships requires effort and intentionality. It goes beyond casual acquaintances and involves investing time and energy into nurturing relationships.
