For my article, I chose “How Many Close Friends Do You Need?” by Shannon Doyne which broaches the topic of interpersonal relationships. The article focuses on the effects of friends and the consequences of the lack there of, while the results vary for each individual there is a consistent trend of the need a social interactions as the question ask “how many” rather than “is there a need”. Loneliness , as said in the article, is a dangerous feeling begging the need to figure out the required amount of friends and the quality of the relationship between individuals.
Personally, I believe myself to be an introvert without a great need for many friends. While I do know and interact with a wide range of individuals, I judge my distance to be farther betwixt rather than closer to most of said individuals. I distinguish a “close friendship” through the frequency of interactions and the recognition between the parties – probably having around a handful of close friends myself. Over the course of the pandemic, there was a loss of interaction and people I could see causing my introvert personality to really shine. Having to deal with COVID, most of the interactions I partake in currently is through social medias and the few classes I have – these superficial friendships are, similar to the concept of individuals, ranging across a wide spectrum depending on the parties.
While I am satisfied with my circle of friends, the need for support or comfort is indicative of a person’s wellbeing and personality. Though the pandemic has changed life greatly, I would not reject the advances of others’ friendships.
I respectfully disagree with this response, and the reason is that it’s better to have a small circle of friends who know you can rely on them in times of need than to have many friends who, in higher chances, will run away from you in times of need. Another benefit of having a small circle of friends is that whatever you discuss is between you, unlike the crowd where there is a risk of backbiting and jealousy between people. Having a good and supportive friend who always comes to check on your well-being is better than having a crowd of friends, especially on social media, who don’t know anything about you. In most cases, you share with your friends on social media about the good side of life, but with a good friend with whom you frequently interact, you can share with them your problems since you are comfortable around them.