My comparison is based on what i view as 'true' friendship where a pal will go through thick and thin for you VERSUS casual friendship.Winston wrote: I strongly disagree. It is NOT exactly the same in the US as in other countries. If it were, why would you be here? It is not utter BS that people bond easier in other countries. Who are you to judge other people's friendships or relationships? THEY are the ones in the position to judge. So if they say that they bonded better with people in other countries, then it's true for them at least (even if it's not true for you).
And many here claim just that. What country are you referring to when you say that it is worse than in America? What country is more cliquish than in America?
I am not saying that it is easy to make long lasting friends through thick and thin who will always be there for you. I'm saying that it's easier to find hang out friends and socialize with people in other countries. Whether they are your "real friends" or not, at least communicating with them is a much more natural process and feels much more down to earth and normal/natural. It's not as awkward as it is in California, that's for sure. That's what I'm talking about, and the primary demonstratable difference.
Certain environments will foster more trust when it does happen. Other environments will never foster that trust.
China is worse than America when it comes to 'real' friendship. Lifelong friends can stab you in the back with the lamest incentives. I've seen so much
of this, it's ridiculous. Most Chinese won't even trust their own family. I've seen so much family backstabbing, i think i can even say that it's a common thing.
In general, i think when your in an area where the people have a harder life, and struggle more,
it sometimes creates that kind of "everyone for himself" mentality. How bad is the PH when it comes to fostering that kind of trust?
Who do you trust implicitly with your life in the PH?
Casual friendship is a different thing altogether. I agree with you that America is about as bad as it gets. Socializing(guy+girl socializing) in America is a dead past time. Hell, you can't even do it in bars anymore
unless your just there to hit on girls and get dumped on. American "clubs" are a social deadzone no matter what people say. I agree that if i wanted casual friendship, starting up conversations, building circles
to do shit with, then yeah, America is the last place you want to be. So yes, when it comes to the casual convo out of the blue or spontaneous socializing, just about anywheres better than America.
FYI though, there is an exception. There are places in the states where you can bond with 'casual' friendship. These tend to be different kind of clubs. And these will usually be centered around specific kinds of activities.
I joined a Tennis association at one point, and build a casual circle of friends very easily. Those guys liked doing things such as boozing, other sports, physical activities such as white water rafting, skydiving, etc.
Did i trust them that much? Not particularly. But that's what i consider casual friendship/acquantances.
That lasted...until i got married That was more of a single boys type club. I would think that others could find social friendships such as this in other kinds of special interest clubs....like track racing, etc.
When everyone has the same interests, it's fairly easy to socialize. I just recently got invited to join a mountain biking group of guys and gals. This group is mostly married folks like myself.
Still, like we've all mentioned a billion times, finding a social avenue for openly shmoozing with the opposite sex is pretty much null in the States.