A friend of everybody is a friend of nobody..
By kaplya
@kaplya (1578)
India
March 6, 2007 1:14pm CST
what does this saying really implies?
as a student since my school days i always find some groups of friends in my class who r there only for their friends i mean they would only talk among themselves, would share notes among their group only and so on..personally i don't believe in that idea and it always makes me wonder why one can't mix up or even be nice with just everybody? i thought about it considering myself and found out that i usually like to be a friend of everybody! though i would have a small number of more close friends than others but i always try to be on good terms with everyone around me.
does this habit really lows down anyone's abilties/chances for being a close friend to someone in particular?
what impression such a person makes upon u?
2 people like this
5 responses
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
7 Mar 07
I beg to differ.
In my opinion, you can be a TRUE friend of everyone. A "friend" of everybody who treats everybody more as an "acquaintance", and is treated likewise, will no doubt just just that "friend of nobody" you mentioned.
But if he treats everyone right, then I guess that statement would not hold, eh? :P
@Stringbean (1273)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Just because you are nice to everybody doesn't mean you are friends with everybody. That would just mean you have good manners.
I think that saying means that if you try to make everyone think you are their friend, sooner or later, some people will find out that you are a hypocrate because you might make one person think that you agreed with his views on something and the next person might have totally different views, but he would expect you to agree with his views if you were really his friend.
The best thing to do is to be friendly to everyone, but be very careful to select only those people you really respect to become your friends.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Wise words Stringbean. Thanks a lot also.
Happy postings from Grandpa Bob
1 person likes this
@kaplya (1578)
• India
8 Mar 07
i think u r right,such a person is rather seen as a hypocrate then a good friend!!thanx for putting me wise about this saying!:)
but now i wonder is it really not possible to be a good friend to everybody without having to agree with them on all matters/views..?
1 person likes this
@Meace84 (101)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I understand the wanting to be friends with everyone thing. Some may view it as being fake though. Seeing someone be nice to everyone may appear as though they are trying too hard. There is usually someone who believes someone has other motives for being nice.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Those who feel there is other motives would not make a good friend towards others in my eyes. Thanks for these words also.
@ayseteyze (214)
• Turkey
26 Jul 07
actually that saying is a bit different in the original one i guess. the root of the saying is that "if there is someone whom everybody loves, it usually means that he/she is being nice to everyone, and in return it means that he/she is not honest in his/her relationships". because everybody has some different points of view, everybody is different in personality. and most of the people can't get well with the ones who do not share their ideas and their life style in general. so if someone is being loved by everybody, if there is no one that he/she goes against with, it usually means that he/she indulges people and doesn't show off his real personality. that's why he is a friend of nobody.
@kaplya (1578)
• India
27 Jul 07
yes i too think so what problem others have with a person like that is they are not really able to understand him and his real personality!but i was thinking suppose someone is naturally a friendly one to all those around him though there's no hidden motives or things like that behind his this behavior..what then? are we doing justice to them by taking him as a cunning person or an unreliable person? i wonder...:)
@Ceciliacherry (181)
• China
28 Aug 07
i guess you know this saying:birds flock together. it's natural that people would more turn to their familiar friends. of course, to be friendly to everyone is not a simple task( i appreciate you have this inlination,not everyone can do this). but you shouldn't force others. it's their own option.
@kaplya (1578)
• India
29 Aug 07
thanks for saying that you appreciate my inclination:). i agree with you usually birds of a feather flock together..i see it's also like that in my situation, it's only that i get a lot of time in finding my kind of birds!;)usually, in between i tend to be friendly toward everybody.this habit helps later and i can count on more people to help me in a need!:)
