Three Types of friends we All Have

Winter is a great time to be with friends, spend festive time together and enjoy cozy coffee, while chit chatting about the good old times.

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher and scientist who was born in 384 B.C. said that wishing to become friends is a quick work, but friendship as a whole is a slow ripening fruit.

He classified friendship into three different types:

The friendship of utility

The friendship of pleasure and

The friendship of the good

The friendship of utility

This is the most common type of friendship. We are surrounded with these types of friends throughout our life. These people are on friendly terms mainly because of the benefits each bring to the table. The best examples of “the friendship of the utility” include business partners, colleagues, schoolmates etc.

The friendship of pleasure

Most of us have these kinds of friends. This friendship is driven by a common goal or agenda. This type of friendship survives because people find each other due to the enjoyment they bring to each other. For example people hangout together because they share hobbies or common interest for example trekking, fishing etc.

The friendship of the good

This is the most important type of friendship among the three. This type of friendship is based on appreciation and respect for each other’s quality. This friendship is driven strongly by the desire to help the other person because they recognize their greatness.

The first two types of friendship can be easily broken, that’s because these two friendships are based on one’s utility and pleasure, especially when particular benefit is achieved or there is a change of common interest. But the friendship that is based on goodness is usually long lasting.

The last type of friendship is hard to find and develop. The friendship of the good is developed and nurtured over the period of few months to several years. If you have more than handful of friends based on goodness, you are extremely blessed. It shows that you yourself are also a great person.

To become a great person, you will need to value friends around you, regardless of whatever above classification they belong to. When you are not judgmental about friendship, people will value your gesture and help you earn their trust. Many of these people overtime will grow on to become friends based on goodness.

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