Do You Think People Overuse the Word Friend?

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I recently have been taught a very valuable (sad, painful) lesson.

People that I truly believed were friends and I treated them as such I have come to find out that they were never really friends.

Do you think people use the word "friend" to easily?

What's your definition of friend?

 

[AKL_Megs]

To me, a "friend" is someone I frequently get together with, (and/or call, especially if they live out of state, or are long distance), but mostly, someone I can count on to be there for me, and me for them.

I say THAT because I have a few acquaintances that I would never, EVER count on to be there for me, and who I can honestly and without guilt say I wouldn't do the same, but who we occasioanlly have BBQ's with in the summer with, and dinners in the winter, for example.

 

[Feralpeg]

Absolutely! Most people I know are close acquaintances. I know them. I interact with them and enjoy good times with them. However, the number of people I can count on to be there for me no matter the circumstances, I can count on one hand. My friends are those that would support me in every circumstance. They might not agree with me or like what I do, but they would be there to help me in whatever way possible. I would do the same for them.

Many people are friendly, but they are not there when the going gets rough.

I will continue to use the word friend for people I like, but I reserve the term "true friend" for very few.

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

Well, I think you can have friends, good friends and really good friends. The problem isn't so much that the term friend is used to much, but the fact that people use friendly tactics to get what they want and when they get it they are finished with you.

I personally know of a few people like that and while I still am "friends" with them, meaning we chat when we see each other, etc. I know that more often than not, when they want to get together or invite me to something it is because they want something from me. While I'm not found of that, I know they do it and am able to turn them done and say no when I know it is something I'm not willing to give them my time on.

I do however agree with a lot of the other posters said. If I consider someone a really good friend, I know they will be there if I need something and them for me. They are also the type of person I would actually take a trip with, have at my home during the holidays, etc. Time spent is not normally with a large group of people, but just a select few.

 

[KristaTX]

"Friend" is kind of like the word "love". English is just so limited when it comes to all the different types of friend and different types of love.

For some reason this thread reminded me of Anne of Green Gables and her "bosom companion", Diana.

 

[Phedre]

I think some people do and I definitely used to, and also had a hard lesson about it. I considered all of the people I worked with as 'friends' and then had one of them be pretty crummy and I felt bad about it for a while. Then one day I heard the girl in the cube next to me describe me over the phone to someone as 'my co-worker' and at first I was a little hurt she didn't call me her 'friend at work' the way I would have. But then I realized she was totally right. I was just her co-worker, even though we got along great and were very close... at work. Once I got point of view it made everything much easier for me to deal with some people at work because they weren't my friends, they were just co-workers, and if I happened to get along with them, yay, and if not, oh well

 

[starrzone]

"Friend" is kind of like the word "love". English is just so limited when it comes to all the different types of friend and different types of love.

For some reason this thread reminded me of Anne of Green Gables and her "bosom companion", Diana.

My best and closest friend and I are very much like Anne and Diana. I can pinpoint the exact moment we became friends, and so can he: Grade 5, when a fellow classmate threw something at a disliked supply teacher, we looked at each other and cracked up laughing. 20 years, several moves, job losses, being in different junior and high schools, deaths, my depressive episodes...and we're still as close as ever, maybe even more so. The only problem is that any guy I end up with will have a heck of a guy to measure up to! .

 

[Aisling]

My father cracks me up because everyone he meets he calls his fiend. He loves telling the story of how he and Bishop Sheen made eye contact in the 1960s and he says that Bishop Sheen is his friend. Poor daddy!

To me, a friend is someone I have an emotional connection with, one step away from being family.

 

[tasha99]

I know tons of people, and could get one of many to go to a movie with me on a Saturday afternoon. Of those people, there are maybe 4 that I could call in the middle of the night if I had a catastrophe, and maybe only 2 of those that I could call comfortably (even though I never have). I guess I'd compare those three groups to close friends--friends--and acquaintances. I'm glad for all of them.

 

[SandrA9810]

Depends on the circumstance, it's easier to just say "friend" when referring to some one that the other people in the conversation don't know. As long as I am on good terms with the person, if it's some one I hate or I'm complaining about, then it's "some one I know".

We really are limited to very broad terms for people we know, and how we address them. Now if you asked me who my real friends were, that's about what I can count on one hand.

 

[LisaR]

Yes, I think the word is used too easily and I think social networking sites like Facebook perpetuates the myth that people have tons of friends. So many will post very personal information about their life to all their "friends" but when tragedy strikes and they needs a shoulder to cry on, how many of those 372 "friends" can they honestly count on?

 

[BeckyKay]

In ones lifetime, each is lucky to have one great friend. I agree with the comment regarding social networking. Now, because the term has been watered down to such an extent, everyone is a friend (with the exception of the few that fall on my do not resuscitate list). I reserve "Luva" for those whom I am emotionally connected (Male and female). It is my own juvenille way of reminding them that "I've got you."

 

[charming23]

I think people do. My cousin will meet someone once think they are friends and then get upset if she never hears from them again. I consider someone a friend once I have known them for awhile. I also only consider three of my friends to be my "best friends". These are the three people I know I can count on in any situation and I would do the same for them.

 

[princesspumpkin]

Unfortunately, I have been guilty of this twice.

Co-workers that I've worked with for years were having a conversation while sitting next to me. They were talking about someplace that they had just come from, and how beautiful the sky was while they were returning. I asked "Wow, where was that?" They just looked at me like I had two heads and refused to tell me. Now I have known these women for years. We all have girls the same age and have frequently shared things about them and the things that they are going thru in school. I have advised them on things concerning travel and education. I naively considered them to be friends, when they actually just saw me as a co-worker/acquaintance. Needless to say, I have stopped offering free travel/school advice - that's just for friends!

Years ago, another co-worker was being thrown a baby shower. I mentioned something about going, since she's a friend. Someone else said "Does she know that? (as in does she know that you're her friend)?" I realized that I saw our relationships a little differently than she did.

I'm trying to curtail that habit.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Unfortunately, in this day and age of FB and everyone having 50-500 "friends", yes. We way overuse the word "friend".

I have few friends, but many acquaintences. Wouldn't have it any other way. Friends are special.

 

[luvsJack]

Well, I think there are different definitions fo "friend".

Like I have work "friends" and for 99% of them, I wouldn't really make plans with after work. One of my work friends is also a good friend outside work--we go to dinner or lunch together, work out together, etc. The others are folks that I talk to daily and celebrate birthdays, etc. with (at work) and sometimes we all eat lunch together.

And then there are my facebook "friends"--for me these are high school chums, former co-workers, etc. and some of them are really friends and some are "people I know". The ones that I am truly friends with, I am having a wonderful time reconnecting with.

And then my best friends are the ones that I call when I am happy, sad or just bored. And the ones that I socialize with all the time. And the ones I can talk to about just about anything.

 

[golfgal]

It is just easier to say friend than acquaintance (and spell friend on message boards)

 

[JessicaR]

My father cracks me up because everyone he meets he calls his fiend. He loves telling the story of how he and Bishop Sheen made eye contact in the 1960s and he says that Bishop Sheen is his friend. Poor daddy!

To me, a friend is someone I have an emotional connection with, one step away from being family.

Love this!

My Grandmother was like that too! My sister and I were at her house one day years ago and she was giving us face cream that her friend Joan gave her...the cream was from qvc - Joan Rivers! To this day we crack up over Grandma's friend, Joan.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

A friend is someone that I will invite over to my house and that I keep in close contact with. Otherwise people are classied in my book, as an acquaintence.

FWIW, I think people over-use the word "love" more than friend.

 

[snapppyd]

Very overused. As a PP stated, Facebook uses the term "friend list". Really? Have you ever met half the people you call friends? Most are acquaintances at best. That doesn't mean you don't enjoy "talking" with them.

However, I would say besides my two sisters, I have two true friends in life. One is my husband. The other I have been friends with for almost 30 years. Even though we only speak or see each other a couple of times a year now, she is the one person I know I could count on to be here in a split second if I needed her.