“Are you my friend because you are good, or good because you are my friend”
— Albert Camus
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Simplified Meaning:
This quote is asking whether someone is liked because they are genuinely a good person, or if they are seen as good just because they are already a friend. Imagine two people meeting at work. One might think the other is a great person because they share a lot of interests and support each other. But, if that friendship didn't exist, would they still think so highly of one another? It’s easy for us to overlook flaws in someone we care about. Applying this idea to your own life means being honest about why you value someone—do you appreciate their true qualities, or are you just seeing them in a positive light because they’re your friend? Taking this step helps build more genuine relationships.
Related tags
Companionship Ethics Friendship Goodness Loyalty Morality Philosophy Questioning Relationships Virtue
