Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Friendship:Meaning

Friendship is the cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as the exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for some, the practical execution of friendship is little more than the trust that someone will not harm them.
Contents[hide]
1 Friendship in history
2 Cultural variations
2.1 Rome
2.2 Russia
2.3 Asia
2.4 Modern west
2.4.1 Decline of friendships in the U.S.
3 Developmental issues
4 Types of friendships
5 Friendship and health
5.1 Love
6 Non-personal friendships
7 Interspecies friendship and animal friendship
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading
11 External links