How Many Friends Do You Have?

[Sgt_Gath]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

 

[Hossfly]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

I have 2 extremely close friends since the 1st grade in 1945. I have around 25 members of my company from April '64-Sept '65 that are still alive and we meet at reunions twice a year around the country. We also visit one another often from Maine to California, Washington State to Florida. These are my brothers and friends. Our families all know each other and there are many friendships there and even marriages. All my brothers are on call for one another 24/7.

 

[MeBelle]

5-10 friends is fairly high for men.

I have friends from childhood that I still keep in touch with and am close to.

I have friends who, through the years.even though we have moved away from each geographically, I can pick up the phone and call them and we're there for each other.

I don't consider my family as my friends, but if I did, there's way too many to count.

Outside of the above mentioned, I have about 5-7 besties, 20 or more "middle party", lots of acquaintances and allies.

In my lines of work, I have to know a lot of people and I'm an extrovert.

 

[High_Gravity]

Really not that many, and the number keeps getting lower as people start passing away etc as you get older.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

5-10 friends is fairly high for men.

I have friends from childhood that I still keep in touch with and am close to.

I have friends who, through the years.even though we have moved away from each geographically, I can pick up the phone and call them and we're there for each other.

I don't consider my family as my friends, but if I did, there's way too many to count.

Outside of the above mentioned, I have about 5-7 besties, 20 or more "middle party", lots of acquaintances and allies.

In my lines of work, I have to know a lot of people and I'm an extrovert.

Well, yes. To be fair, I'm cheating a little bit by including two members of my own family. Without them, I'm in the 1-5 range.

However, that was why I asked people how they define the term.

 

[MeBelle]

Really not that many, and the number keeps getting lower as people start passing away etc as you get older.

I think also men just don't have as many friends as women do. Women bond easier.

 

[High_Gravity]

Really not that many, and the number keeps getting lower as people start passing away etc as you get older.

I think also men just don't have as many friends as women do. Women bond easier.

I agree.

 

[Foxfyre]

Like some of the rest of you I have friends going back to elementary school though, like some of the rest of you, they are passing on more and more frequently these days so the number is constantly going down. But almost all who were my closest friends in school who are still alive remain close friends even now--we don't see each other often but stay in touch. We have also made dear friends in distant places we have lived that remain close friends now. And then there are the family members scattered all over who we are closest to.

I define a friend, as opposed to an acquaintance, neighbor, relative, colleage, etc., as somebody who just gets you, who understands you, who cares about you, and if you need him/her, if there is any way possible, drops whatever he/she is doing and comes to your side. Those distant friends for instance, if we were in trouble in any way, would be on the road or on a plane within hours to get to us. And we would do the same for them.

And when we get together for things other than crisis mode, it is as if we had never been apart for months or years. We pick up right where we left off and it feels natural and normal and as it should be. Such friends are rare. And precious. But I count more than 10 so feel very blessed.

 

[MikeK]

I have 2 extremely close friends since the 1st grade in 1945. I have around 25 members of my company from April '64-Sept '65 that are still alive and we meet at reunions twice a year around the country. [...]

Like you, I was in grade school during WW-II and it occurs to me that friendship occurred much more easily and was far more meaningful back then and throughout the 50s and early 60s, which is when the essential nature of American society began to change in significant ways.

Today there is far less need for the kind of interaction and proximity that formed the bond which was friendship back then. Americans simply don't need each other the way they once did, nor do they trust one another as much, nor is there the same level of need for communication and personal interaction.

Simply stated, America is becoming an alienated society in which technology is rapidly replacing the need for person-to-person contact.

 

[The Irish Ram]

I guess I was lucky enough to come from a small town like Mayberry, and friendships that were forged as youngsters, continue into old age. And it is that way for all the generations. If I called every one of my former classmates and asked for help, they would all come running. And if any of them needed me, I would come running.
A friend started a facebook site called close friends, (by invite) and the whole town has been invited by one friend or another to participate. It's kind of turned into a party line with pictures of all of us as kids, and memories and stories, and love. It's kind of wonderful to be a part of such a big family.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Here is a story from my home town. I was surprised at how many knew about "The Great Clark Bar Caper"

The Depression, Kid Style:
The Great Clark Bar Caper~ Since the participants in this story have all moved on to Heavenly places, it's finally time to let the cat out of the bag.

My dad's uncle, Toronto Police Chief, Lester Hinkle was an honest man that ran a tight ship. He lived in the duplex with my Dad, Charles Geraghty. They called dad, "Bud".
During the depression, my dad hung out with The Daniels Street "Gang". Kids his age that lived close by. There was an older Daniels Street Gang that was comprised of their older brothers on Daniels and Henry, and Findley Streets.
One day dad and his friends were downtown and a truck driver was unloading boxes of candy for one of the business, and forgot to close the truck's back door before driving off. One of the kids jumped in the back and started throwing out boxes of Clark Bars. The rest of the gang ran behind the truck and picked them all up. The truck driver reported the theft.
It was a case that dogged the police chief. The evidence was disappearing daily. There were Clark Bar wrappers all over Toronto that mocked him. Sometimes several in the yard of a kid that the gang didn't like, but never too many on Daniels Street, Henry or Findley.
Chief Hinkle never closed the case, and always suspected those older, more sophisticated mischief makers on the block. Nevertheless, to this day, the case remains unsolved.
Dear sweet Uncle Lester,
The perp was right in your lap the whole time. Literally, sitting on your lap on the porch swing, listening to the ball game on the radio. The evidence was in your house, under his bed.
It was Bud.
Give him a hug for me, and tell him that I love him. And I'll see you both again some good day.
Love,
Cat.

 

[MikeK]

I guess I was lucky enough to come from a small town like Mayberry, and friendships that were forged as youngsters, continue into old age. And it is that way for all the generations. [...]

I think you're right. I should have mentioned I lived in New York City (Brooklyn and Queens boroughs) until my late fifties, when I moved to New Jersey. But I should say Brooklyn in the 40s and 50s was nothing like Brooklyn of later years -- especially today's Brooklyn, which is a horror.

The book, and the movie, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, captures the ethos that shows Brooklyn to be a wonderful little city and a fine place to live. Big, but not at all crowded and dirty. And neighbors were neighbors.

But I suppose we all have our yesterdays.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Backward o backward turn time in it's flight. Make me a kid again, just for tonight.

 

[Michelle420]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

So it can only be people offline that you hang out with in person? Not family and not a long term romantic relationship?

 

[Hossfly]

I guess I was lucky enough to come from a small town like Mayberry, and friendships that were forged as youngsters, continue into old age. And it is that way for all the generations. [...]

I think you're right. I should have mentioned I lived in New York City (Brooklyn and Queens boroughs) until my late fifties, when I moved to New Jersey. But I should say Brooklyn in the 40s and 50s was nothing like Brooklyn of later years -- especially today's Brooklyn, which is a horror.

The book, and the movie, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, captures the ethos that shows Brooklyn to be a wonderful little city and a fine place to live. Big, but not at all crowded and dirty. And neighbors were neighbors.

But I suppose we all have our yesterdays.

I remember Brooklyn in the Forties and Fifties when I would stay in Baltimore with an Uncle and we would drive up there on Friday, go to Ebbets Field on Bedford Ave for the game, the Saturday game and the Sunday double-header. All the games were afternoon games then.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

So it can only be people offline that you hang out with in person? Not family and not a long term romantic relationship?

That depends on you. Personally, I don't mind counting my family, or a significant other.

The only criteria per the OP is that they be someone you know in person.

Otherwise, we might get people trying to count every person they've ever seen on Facebook as being a "friend."

 

[Michelle420]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

So it can only be people offline that you hang out with in person? Not family and not a long term romantic relationship?

That depends on you. Personally, I don't mind counting my family, or a significant other.

The only criteria per the OP is that they be someone you know in person.

Otherwise, we might get people trying to count every person they've ever seen on Facebook as being a "friend."

I don't have any friends offline except my family and significant other.

 

[Mr Natural]

I'm not a person who craves a lot of human contact. Personally, I'd rather spend my time with dogs.

That being said, I do have two close friends.

And that's enough.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Can you still hear the crowd and taste the hotdog? How fun to go to Ebbets field as a kid!

 

[Sgt_Gath]

And how would you define the term?

For the purposes of this discussion, also keep in mind that we are only addressing the non-internet variety of "friend" in the interests of not wildly inflating the numbers.

Personally, I'm a standoffish introvert who doesn't get out a whole lot, and has a rather low tolerance for human stupidity. As you can imagine, my numbers aren't terribly high for that exact reason.

I have, however, had a couple of close friends in the past. While I have lost touch with some of them, I still have a couple even today (Army buddies mostly). Through them, I do socialize with a few other "friends of friends," some of whom I have come to know well enough that we occasionally hang out absent the "middle party" as well.

I mostly tend to have "friendly acquaintances," apart from that. These are people that I might occasionally chit-chat with or toss a friendly wave at work, school, or wherever else. However, they never really get past my superficial public persona, so they are not really "friends."

Of course, the people I am objectively closest with in my life would probably be my family, and my mother and younger brother in particular. We irritate the crap out of one another on occasion, but we ultimately get along. lol

It equals out to about somewhere in the 5-10 range, all things considered. That's held pretty much constant in my social life so far.

So it can only be people offline that you hang out with in person? Not family and not a long term romantic relationship?

That depends on you. Personally, I don't mind counting my family, or a significant other.

The only criteria per the OP is that they be someone you know in person.

Otherwise, we might get people trying to count every person they've ever seen on Facebook as being a "friend."

I don't have any friends offline except my family and significant other.

Well, that's fine too. Different strokes, and all that. Lol