People really do like seeing their best friends humiliated; a large part of the friendship is based on humiliation; and that is an old truth,well known to all intelligent people.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
A real friend does not pick up the bill for an addict’s drugs: he packs the friend off to rehab instead. Today, only those who speak up against Israel’s policies – who denounce the occupation, the blockade, and the war – are the nation’s true friends.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True friendship means taking difficult actions that promote real growth, even if they are unpopular.
This quote illustrates the essence of genuine friendship, suggesting that a true friend is someone who prioritizes their friend's well-being over enabling harmful behaviors, such as addiction. In a broader context, it emphasizes the importance of speaking out against injustices, equating moral courage with loyal friendship, particularly in political situations like Israel's policies.
Themes
FriendshipAddictionRehabMoralityCouragePolitics
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on mental health awareness, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of encouraging friends to seek help.
Similar quotes
Ordinary imperfect people, always choose similarly imperfect people as friends.
Haruki MurakamiRead
Gatewood Galbraith was a good friend, and a tireless advocate for the repeal of the ridiculous ban on hemp & marijuana. His book ‘The Last Free Man Standing’ says it all.
Willie NelsonRead
Reprove your friends in secret, praise them openly.
Publilius SyrusRead
A friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us. The friend asks no return but that his friend will religiously accept and wear and not disgrace his apotheosis of him. They cherish each other's hopes. They are kind to each other's dreams.
Henry David ThoreauRead
... the friendship of worthless people has a bad effect (because they take part, unstable as they are, in worthless pursuits, and actually become bad through each other's influence). But the friendship of the good is good, and increases in goodness because of their association. They seem even to become better men by exercising their friendship and improving each other; for the traits that they admire in each other get transferred to themselves.
AristotleRead