Everybody Needs a Friend

[Sal]

This perhaps is a bit more relevant:
23 Signs You're Secretly An Introvert

#1 - Annoying Time Waster for me
#2 - Agreed
#3 - Pretty much
#4 - I crave authenticity in my interactions
#5 - Yup, as my posts clearly show
#6 - Agreed, which is why when I used to goto the bar with my friends, I'd decide to leave an hour later and walk home because I lose focus and can't hold a conversation over the loud noises.
#7 - Agreed, I prefer my down time
#8 - Seems to fit my personality, though I still do just fine in both situations.
#9 - Well I prefer the back of the transit but prefer the best visual & audio location in a theatre, the middle/slightly to the middle/rear.
#10 - Interesting, I suppose so.
#11 - Not sure.
#12 - Not quite, though I suppose it depends on what
#13 - Doesn't phase me
#14 - Doesn't phase me, though sometimes I'm just not in the mood and won't answer
#15 - Yeah that's me
#16 - I suppose but the delay is almost non-existent
#17 - BP is always text book
#18 - I believe so
#19 - Depends on the environment. I get pleasure from natural environments more than say a party or concert loaded with people.
#20 - I guess that would be true of me
#21 - Yup
#22 - I suppose my posts in here prove that
#23 - Agreed

So for the most part, I would be classified as an Introvert & have situated my life with enough balance of social interaction with others and time for myself that I do not require Close Friends or even a Best Friend.

I am perfect happy balancing my time between my wife, child, my family, her family, co-workers and the occasional person encountered through life that I do not require "Friends" and I certainly do not feel "Lonely."

So to sum up without any twists or grey areas, I don't need "Friends"

I love those points and many but not all would get a yes from me.

I do have one friend since kindergarten, we are honest with each other, we are transparent, she is family she was my BBF growing up and we are nothing alike from a personality perspective but we are the same from a depth of trust perspective...I have a very large circle of what most would call friends but which I view as acquaintances...we help each other on various levels. Not all would understand me but they go with the flow.

I see humans as being quite like an onion. We peel away various layers with others according to the trust we develop with them. And trust is not about the other person, nothing ever is, trust is about our ability to survive betrayal at various levels.

Since a child I have always walked to the beat of my own drum. Sticking to social groups to be a part of something does not work for me. To me it is about the core of what and who we are, our integrity and what we value in ourselves and in others.

A partner is a person we trust with our core. Those people are few and far between. Most around us are acquaintances. Friendship for most is just a social interaction. And they are important to me too because I am extroverted frequently but do need to retreat to regroup.

You've made excellent points.