Wanting to make friends

I found this today, and came looking for a thread to drop it into, as it seems to explain my own relative success in that arena, and it is better written than I could manage.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/09/26/you-probably-need-more-friends-heres-how-to-make-them/

Interesting to note how unsuccessful clubbing or pubbing is when it comes to making friends. That fits with my experience.

I had aquaitences rather than friends.

Now, I have a few select friends. And I feel better for that. 

When I was in my twenties I was pleased to have just over 100 "friends", in my thirties that number was down to about 2 friends. I now have more real friends still in my life than that 2. But it's taken a lot of work on myself to make me a good friend to those people. 

That only works if you don't depend on others for your survival. In an interdependent society like the one in which we live you HAVE to be "approved of" in order to qualify for basic services or have anywhere to live.

If you actually WORK in someone else's business hell yes, you need the approval of others. Biggest lie they ever told me was "sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never hurt you"... 

Just ask anyone who's expressed a "prohibited opinion" and had their career destroyed or lives turned upside down as a result whether you need "approval".

That only works if you don't depend on others for your survival. In an interdependent society like the one in which we live you HAVE to be "approved of" in order to qualify for basic services or have anywhere to live.

If you actually WORK in someone else's business hell yes, you need the approval of others. Biggest lie they ever told me was "sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never hurt you"... 

Just ask anyone who's expressed a "prohibited opinion" and had their career destroyed or lives turned upside down as a result whether you need "approval".