It just happens that I had a couple of articles on friendship in my Instapaper queue. The first is about new (online) services where you can do online dating rent a friend. Why would you ever want to do something like that?

Andy thinks it could be the desire for uncomplicated companionship, rather than loneliness, that is driving the growth in friend-hire. “It’s not about striking up a relationship,” he says. “People don’t want to have loads of close friends because it completely ties up your life.” He’s both perceptive and articulate, although I can’t help feeling the person who’s paying shouldn’t be doing so much listening. We should really be talking about what I think.

Shortly after we sit down for lunch at another cafe, we run into my friend Sam. He’s a real friend – not in the sense that he’s always been there for me, just in the sense that I’ve never paid him.

The second is a more serious take, on how our definition has of friendship has evolved in this day and age.

Posted by Kevin in Blogs Tags: friends, instapaper