Are we all living in a fools' paradise?
@allknowing (137770)
India
April 29, 2012 12:21am CST
The term 'friend' needs a second look and urgently too. The days of yesteryear were days when inter dependence was the order of the day. The adage 'A friend in need is a friend indeed' was so relevant in those days. But do we really need such a friend today. For every activity that needs attention we have professionals and we engage them as a routine but in those days if for example your radio did not work you would perhaps call your neighbour or your friend to see if anything could be done. If there is something personal you need to talk about there is always myLot where one will get unbiased opinions on whatever is bothering any one.
If you have real friends in your life what happiness do you get from them. Are carpenters, computer technicians, shop keepers, bank managers, and other service set ups not good enough for you!
3 people like this
5 responses
@Suebee (2013)
• Canada
29 Apr 12
I agree that the roles our friends play may have changed over the years, but do you really think that paid professionals can take the place of a friend? Yes, mylot is an excellent place to obtain unbiased opinions on whatever is bothering someone. Sometimes you can get better, more honest advice/opinions on here than you could get from a friend, who may be a bit reserved or who doesn't want to tell you what they really think for fear of hurting you or whatever other reason. But do you really think that mylot or a paid professional can replace a hug from a caring friend who truly understands what you're going through?
@allknowing (137770)
• India
29 Apr 12
It depends on what level you are with your paid professionals. I have these guys since many years and to give you an example, when I had met with an accident the guy who has a shop from where I get my stuff came over and shifted my bed downstairs while I was in hospital.I had asked my maids to contact him. My cable guy shifted my tv closer to where I would be when I returned from hospital and so did my computer techniciasn helped around - all gratis.
And last but not the least my maids managed my house while I was away and took care of me as best they could.
All paid professionals. Ofcourse there were hugs from 'friends' and family - only hugs and nothing else.
1 person likes this
@Suebee (2013)
• Canada
29 Apr 12
I totally agree that it depends on what level you are with the paid professionals. But they are just that, paid help. Would they still have done all that for you if they weren't on your payroll? To me, if the answer is yes, then they have become more than paid professionals over the years. They have become your friends as well. If the answer is no, then they can't take the place of friends. Just my unbiased opinion.
@allknowing (137770)
• India
29 Apr 12
Over a period of time these people who give you service would be ready to help you as it happened in my case but they don't belong to the category of 'friends' in the real sense of the term. I just want to know what is the role of your friends in your life.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
29 Apr 12
Some of my friends have the skills to help with some of my technical needs, but I need more the friends I can talk with and share ideas with. It is not so much about needing help as needing contact now. I do consider people on here to be friends, at least some of them. I do have friends in real time that I do not hear from as much as I hear from MyLot. On the other hand, friends on Facebook, for instance, are more like acquaintances.
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
30 Apr 12
I think it all goes full circle. My friends are not necessarily in the same place in their life right now as I am. I do need to follow up sometimes with them as well as they with me. This is a good reminder to me.
@allknowing (137770)
• India
30 Apr 12
You are almost there GG. From the description that you have give of 'friends' they are not what they used to be. Looking back at my own life then and now I see a sea of difference. All are busy with their own life just as I am. We never visit each other and even phone calls are few and far between. I am closer to my grocer who I interact with more than my 'friends'!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137770)
• India
30 Apr 12
Not the 'wholesome' (if there is such word) friends of the good old days GG. No matter what you do to establish contact it is never the same. Sad but true! When I was bed resting in the hospital there were more than 300 who visited me, held my hand and may be even hugged me - that's about all. No complaints as they cannot do more than that as they have enough on their plate to be able to share their time with others.
1 person likes this
@sender621 (14893)
• United States
30 Apr 12
In order to determine whether or not we live in a fools paradise, you would have to consider what paradise really means to you. If you are happy and fulfilled then i don't see a fools paradise. If you are living with hopes and goals and dreams that can never be, then i would consider that to be a fool's paradise.
@allknowing (137770)
• India
30 Apr 12
In this case I am particularly referring to the paradise of friends. Those we consider as friends cannot and do not play the role of friends the role that friends played in the good old days.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
29 Apr 12
I think we all need friends or relatives or acquintances or neighbours or at least people we can talk to now and then and we know a bit closer.. the rest of the people you talk about we will never really know. This besides of the fact we have to pay them. They are not interested in you as a person, just in making money.
To some it's enough, to others it is not.
I love to be with me, interaction with my kids (partly adult) is enough for me, same with some parents of kids who are in the same class as my kids. I don't really feel the need to be with others daily or weekly or to go out.
@allknowing (137770)
• India
29 Apr 12
Each of those you talked about here have a different role to play. But I am particularly interested to know what role your friends play that they have to be in your life for your survival.
