I guess different cultures have different ideas of friendship.<p>For me a friend is someone you call at 3AM with &quot;I need you&quot;, and he don&#x27;t even asks the question - &quot;who is this guy&quot;, while you bury the body. And some for whom you will do the same.<p>You may have a couple of those in your life if you are extremely lucky and you don&#x27;t lose them even if they are half the world away and you talk once per year.<p>But I guess the majority of friendships the articles talk about are acquaintances. A true friendship is forged in fire, hardened, tempered and not brittle at all.