Friendship:Tolerance

I used to be someone who would quietly disassociate myself with anyone I had some kind of problem with. Things have changed, and my tolerance has shifted to a slightly different part of the spectrum.

I'm still an incredibly peaceful and caring friend, but I have less tolerance for disrespect. I can only put up with so much, and unless I care greatly about your impression of me, I will gladly tell you to 'fuck off' if you attack me on a personal level.

I don't need any of your bullshit, just as you honestly don't need any of mine. A true friend will only corner you for the sake of intervention. A true friend will not attack you, outright insult you, or do things that will further escalate an already heated situation of which they are responsible for to begin with.

I understand the 'friendship:tolerance' ratio more than ever. Treat me with respect, and ABSOLUTELY expect it back. I won't let you down.

I am someone who prides myself on being a great friend. Unless we have developed some serious issues, I am willing to put up with most of your bullshit. I will put a great amount of effort into trying to understand your issues, and even more so in how you are affected by them.

I am a proud human being. I don't need to tolerate you, but I will do so if the good side of you is stronger than the bad. If you treat your friends like shit, don't be surprised when they figure out that they are much better off without you.

Watch Your Back

In my opinion, one of the most important things to remember in life is that everybody has their own unique agenda.

It's easy enough to forget that every human being has their own sense of perception crafting what they view as reality. The true reality is that there are billions of people with their own lives, their own ideas, and importantly, their own goals.

In life you will be deceived, you will be verbally shat on, and someone at some point will craft all the justification they need for the sake of treating you like shit. In many cases they will do this entirely guilt-free, and instead actually feel quite proud for doing it.

We live in an incredibly dynamic world. Ideas are shared almost instantly from anywhere in the world. With these ideas being open, people divide quickly into various cultural groups of which they feel they most belong. In my opinion, the reality is that for every single one of us, we are alone.

Be careful who you associate with, but remember that anyone can hurt you. People are selfish, but they have every reason to be. It's not cruel. It's simply a survival instinct at work.

Don't be afraid to let your guard down, but always keep in mind that everyone is ultimately out for themselves.