How do you choose your friends?

[Sanity Panda]

I've always imagined that in the grown up world outside education. People lack time to maintain friendships and different group of friendships. I'd love to maintain contact with all the people I know so far and get to know them better. However it seems like we can only know so many friends before we're pulled in different directions...

Do people become more selective about who they want to be around?

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by Sanity Panda

I've always imagined that in the grown up world outside education. People lack time to maintain friendships and different group of friendships. I'd love to maintain contact with all the people I know so far and get to know them better. However it seems like we can only know so many friends before we're pulled in different directions...

Do people become more selective about who they want to be around?

I have never had that many friends to where i had to be selective. I have plenty of time to see them when they want to hang out. But if i had a ton of friends,i'm sure time would allow only me to hang out with a certain amount of them in which case i would have to be selective.

[Boreas]

I go back and forth between the populist/noble "be friends with everyone" and the snobby "cultivate a culture and keep a refined group" type mentality. The latter can be reflected in the thread: Why do you avoid(or stop) being friends with certain people?

That said, lately I have been thinking about becoming more selective of the people I hang out with, and part of this is just looking for signs of intelligence which I would detail as the following (Please don't give me much flack on this as I would probably admonish myself for the discourtesy imposed on anyone who is not these things)

1. Happy - intelligent people tend to smile and laugh a lot

2. Well dressed and well kept - I use to abhor these people in highschool, but I see the sense in it. Who are you going to ask for directions on the street? The guy in the ratty coat or the Armani?

3. Successful with desire for more - people who have done something valuable for society, and most importantly themselves, and who like to talk about their plans for improvement. They are just inspiring.

4. Talented/interesting - draw, write, play music, understand puns, understand the word "erudite" , all bonus points

5. Self-confident - usually there, given the top four

[silicon toad2000]

I let my friends choose me.
Every now and then I have to choose not to be friends with some people, I just let those relationships fall by the wayside.