The ability to make new friends easily is more important for happiness.

The ability to make new friends easily is more important for happiness.

To start with, maintaining friendships with a small number of people over a long period of time means that this relationship is stronger. There will be more trust between two old friends than two acquaintances. That is to say, we are like to feel secured to share our secrets with old friends or corporate with them in all kinds of fields. Take the case of the famous TV series Friends, six old friends went through up and downs in their career and life together for a long span of lifetime. They help each other when they face hardships without doubting others’ motives. The series leaves a generation of people a great impression and becomes a symbol of American pop culture, which reflects ideal lifestyle of growing up with a small number of people who can always be there for us. Therefore, the benefit of long-term friendships is clear, and we should lay more weight on this kind of relationship.

Moreover, people can gain a sense of true belongings. These days, with the rocketing development of technology and the Internet, people have more access to make new friends. Whereas, there are more serious challenges faced by the young result from interpersonal indifference and alienation. According to the third level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people seek recognition and affiliation with true friends. Consequently, we can fulfill this need by having a small group of friends whom we know for a long time around us.

It is true that having the ability to make new friends easily has its merits. It means that we always can make ourselves known by others in the office or at a party. Those new friends can make our life more colorful as well as provide us more information. But is it a really wise one for our happiness? when taking more factors into consideration, obviously not. Making new friends in a short time often based on the superficial appearance. From my perspective, one is easy to be taken advantage of. Besides, those kinds of friends may turn back on you once you are in trouble.