120 philosophical essays you must read in your life

Chapter 95

Chapter 5 Section 16 Friendship

[French] Voltaire

It is well known that friendship, like love and respect, is not something that can be forced. "Loving the person around you means helping the person around you; but if he is annoying, don't chat with him for fun; if he is a bombast, don't talk to him; if he is a lavish lover If you don’t have money, don’t lend him money.”

Friendship is the marriage of the soul, and this marriage can be separated.

Friendship is also a kind of tacit understanding between two emotional and moral people.Why do you say you have feelings?For a monk, a lonely man may never be a villain, but there are those who live without friendship.Why do you say it is moral?For the wicked have only their accomplices, the voluptuous have only their friends, the mercenary have only associates, the politicians associate with partisans, the idlers have only companions, the princes have but sycophants, and only the noble Talent has friends.

What is the content of this bond between two gentle, honest, just and honest hearts?The strength of this moral constraint depends entirely on the depth of the relationship and the thickness of the friendship between each other.

In Arabia friendship flourishes more vigorously than ours.

The tales of these peoples' imaginary friendships are heart-warming.But our reality lacks great friendship stories to match it.

【Together with you】

Two close people are not necessarily friends when they are together.But two people of high morals must be friends together.

The so-called friendship is the relationship between equal people who have left the relationship of interests.Once two people participate in the relationship between interests, the best title can only be a partner.

Having a real friend is a very happy thing, but finding a real friend is a very difficult thing.Friendship is the best gift God bestows on human beings.As teenagers grow up, they should make friends with noble people, establish a friendship of sharing the wind and rain, and share the adversity, so as to warm their lives.

Friendship is a fusion of souls, an unspoken contract between two sensitive, upright, noble people.

(End of this chapter)