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Comment by ReptileMan | Hacker News Reader

It is really not hard. Find decent people with which you have something in common. Give them some loyalty and support and if you get some back - you have friends. With years they turn into close friends.

Men's friendships are forged they don't just happen.

The town - 2010:

- I need your help. I can't tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later, and we're gonna hurt some people.

- Whose car are we gonna take?

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This doesn't ring true. Friendship is defined by a willingness to engage in violence without reason?

Loyalty means supporting and accepting someone for who they are. Not just doing whatever they ask regardless of consequence.

To steelman ReptileMan's point -- I think we should extract the _spirit_ of the back-and-forth of the quoted exchange and realize that it's about the willingness to jump in... to anything a potential friend might suggest and to see where that takes you (within reason and preference, of course).

Some people do work like this. They wish to do violence and would prefer some company (for example, perhaps after witnessing a delightful soccer match in Belgium). Of course there are also many fulfilling & intimate friendships where people don't ask for help in hurting people.

I have a friend I've known since I was 16 and I'd do absolutely anything for that man.

But you damned well better believe I would ask questions and make decisions based upon the answers. I'd probably also talk him down from doing something stupid.

I like your point about male friendships being forged (it's very true), but your example is a non-sequitur.

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