The truths of individualism govern all aspects of individual and social life. It is no surprise, then, that friendships are affected by the manifestations of individual personality traits, as friendships are a key aspect of sociality. This effect extends far beyond people having preferences for friendships with certain types of people. That such a thing is true is obvious! It is experientially clear to people with more than one deep friendship that the same activities and discussions can feel quite different in the presence of different people, even when one has relationships of the the same general quality or depth with each person.
Why is this the case? It is because people are their own individual selves, with nuanced personalities. Variations in personality, however slight, affect how conversations with different people can feel. Even when two friendships are similar in their duration and strength, they can still feel very distinct. This can be a very pleasurable thing! After all, this means that having multiple friends who possess complete worldview overlap and similar personality types does not have to be dull. It means that broaching the same topics and sharing the same dimensions of oneself with new people can be fulfilling anew every time.
It is this fact that allows for repetition of the same activities to deepen various friendships in different ways; even further, it is accounting for the individual natures of different friends that allows friendships to thrive, for people can only flourish to the greatest extents possible when they do not hide themselves. Without seeing a person's individuality, one cannot see them as they are. As such, friendships are deepened and sustained by the sharing of the features that mark the personalities of each friend.
Grasping the individuality of different persons is key to understanding how to interact with them. Friendship provides the perfect arena to not just acknowledge the truths of individualism, but celebrate them, with both parties identifying and appreciating the differences in personality that distinguish their souls. The revelation of these traits that occurs when friends feel comfortable in their relationship of mutuality can be one of the most exciting aspects of friendship. And when one person shares himself or herself, it is not unlikely that the recipient of the information will be willing to share in return. This mutual expression of individuality is at the core of friendships, for without it relational intimacy will hit a wall, but affectionate relationships thrive on it.
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