Aristotle's 3 Friendships: Keys to American Happiness | PHJ

In today's fast-paced world, where technology often takes the place of face-to-face interactions, friendship continues to be a vital pillar of happiness for many Americans. A recent Pew Research survey from 2023 found that while 61% of Americans believe friendships are essential to their happiness, 8% reported having no close friends at all. This amounts to approximately 27 million people. In 2011, the United Nations acknowledged the significance of friendship by establishing July 30 as the "International Day of Friendship." But what makes friendship so powerful? To delve into this question, we can turn to the insights of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who identified three distinct types of friendships.