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About this quote

What does it mean?
True friendship is rare because it requires shared life paths, thoughts, and competitive goals.
In plain terms
Good friends are rare because they need to have similar lives and goals.
What can you take from it?
Value deep friendships but recognize how rare they are.

Where it applies

  • making friends
  • valuing relationships
  • social planning

Putting it to work

  • invest in few strong ties
  • seek shared values

Questions to consider

  • What makes a true friend?
  • How many true friends do I have?

Another view

Friendship can exist without total parallelism of life or goals.

More from Henry Adams

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  3. The difference is slight, to the influence of an author, whether he is read by five hundred readers, or by five hundred thousand; if he can select the five hun…

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