NEWS: 18 Friends Are All You Need

CULTURE: 18 Friends Are All You Need

Shows like Friends and Coupling are all wrong. It isn't five friends you need to get through life, it is eighteen close friends and relatives that supply practical and emotional support, a study has shown.

This doesn't mean you need to buy less than 18 Christmas cards: people will drift in and out of this network according to needs. The researchers based this on a series of three hour interviews to determine who they lent upon for support. They identified seven different types of networks that we find ourselves in.

What the report doesn't go into is if the internet contributes to this, or people can find that kind of support through, well, sites like this. It'd be interesting to see that taken into account, to possibly create an additional group.

well damn.... that makes me about.... 18 short

For some reason I came up with 19 short. I've checked and re-checked the math, but it always comes out to 19 short.

Im definetly a 'friend-enveloped' person. WHile I really enjoy my friends and love spending time with them, my family is just in a different league.

[Edited on Oct 02, 2005 by wottan]

Whoa let's roll back to square one what's the definition of a friend? versus say an acquaintance? Some of the examples above seem to depend on both. Your parents may not be your friends etc.

Personally I find my Friends on this site are very much an integral part of my life, they're important to me and I hope I'm a good support to them in whatever way.

Aha, I might know what's going on here. Not only are you short 18 friends, but I think you might have an arch-enemy. Having an arch-enemy counts as -1 friends.

A good friend is worth 50 aquaintances... according to my calculations.

[Edited on Oct 02, 2005 by Scissorfingers]

Great. At this point, I need a CPA to count this for me.

Oh shit... if you are counting enemies... then I am in the negative hundreds easy.

yeah, i'm short also. that's depressing, but my weekend already sucked so it's not like it ruined anything.

i hate humans..... so in the end everyone hates me back, so i think i would just be in an oddity if they would have interviewed me.

-

You know, I've always kind of had a "streamline" philosophy. One or two good friends and a significant other is all you really need. In my amateur opinion.

any math majors around who can help work this out?

I just need someone to sleep in my bed. I don't really have to talk to them.

Coupling is never wrong.

I would like to volunteer for that job.

P.S. Agreed, Coupling is not wrong.

[Edited on Oct 02, 2005 by Runpunalpha]

So is there an expanded family?

I know that giggle-loop thing is real.

yea i'm fucked then.

You only need four. Two for each side of the casket.

Wanted: Eighteen plus individuals for long term support network. Flexible hours, pay non-existent.
Inquire within.

Well Im out.

I have no friends!

I am liking the fact that a friend is someone who does something for you and that much after the fashion of episodes of friends they are all referred to as "The one who..."

For my own personal satisfaction I would like:

The One Who Listens To Me Drip On About How Deep/Rubbish This Or That Cult TV Show Is - Check
The One Who Makes Me Feel More Normal By Being More Eccentric Than Me - Check
The One Who Likes To Go Out For The Odd Drink With Me - Situation Vacant Apply Within
The One Who Likes Watching Movies With Me - Check
The One Who Allows Me To Park My Shit In Their House While I Am Between Houses - A thankless task that goes to my mother.
The One Who Makes Me Feel Like Part Of A Loving Relationship - er, Check

And that still leaves me with 12 who would go into a cupboard until I found a use for them, like tealights. Maybe I'm just not demanding enough to have friends.

You have 127 friends on your list, and you still come here for sympathy? For shame!