Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Are Friends Necessary?

Having friends is a wonderful thing.  No one would deny that.  But is having friends necessary for a well-lived human life?  Could you have a full and satisfying life without friends.

The question does not ask whether one could be a happy hermit.  We can assume that humans are social beings and that we require interpersonal interactions.  But does that necessitate friendship relations exist within those relationships?  Suppose you were, say, say, a substitute Good Humor man, moving from place to place, never seeing the same folks twice, but everywhere you go having pleasant interactions with people, all of whom are glad to see you.  In this case, you chat with folks all the time and you would enjoy your passing, fleeting moments you spent with each of them.  Could that be enough?  Is the depth of friendship needed as well?