--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What men call friendship is only social…" description: "\"What men call friendship is only social intercourse, an exchange of favours and good offices; it comes down to a commercial dealing in which self-estee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/andre-maurois-3217_esteem_what-men-call-friendship-is-only-social_2897191.jpg" --- # What men call friendship is only social intercourse, an… ![“What men call friendship is only social intercourse, an exchange of favours and good offices; it comes down to a commercial dealing in which self-esteem always expects to profit.” quote by Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/andre-maurois-3217_esteem_what-men-call-friendship-is-only-social_2897191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/andre-maurois-3217_esteem_what-men-call-friendship-is-only-social_2897191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/andre-maurois-3217_esteem_what-men-call-friendship-is-only-social_2897191.jpg) > “What men call friendship is only social intercourse, an exchange of favours and good offices; it comes down to a commercial dealing in which self-esteem always expects to profit.” [Andre Maurois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-maurois/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship is a transactional social exchange, driven by self‑interest and mutual benefit. **In simple terms:** Friendship is often a self‑serving exchange. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture genuine, non‑transactional bonds. Themes friendship social interaction self‑interest transaction Mood skeptical reflective Type philosophical social When to use this quote - personal relationships - networking - community building - social media Key Concepts psychology social contracts Questions to Reflect On - Do you have friendships without hidden agendas? - How can we foster selfless connections? A Different Perspective The claim may be cynical, overlooking altruistic friendships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comes Commercial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-commercial-2508447/) [Dealing Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealing-self-4100587/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Favour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favour/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-office/) [Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intercourse/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-friendship-4100586/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-intercourse-680386/) ## Related quotes > [We may observe that, in displaying the praises of any humane, beneficent man, there is one circumstance which never fails to be amply insisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-observe-that-in-displaying-the-praises-of-any-humane/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [In man, social intercourse has centred mainly on the process of absorbing fluid into the organism, but in the domestic dog and to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-man-social-intercourse-has-centred-mainly-on-the-process-of/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [If we grow old wisely, we lay aside the senseless forms and meaningless conventions of society and go back to a more primitive mode…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-heaton-vorse/if-we-grow-old-wisely-we-lay-aside-the-senseless-forms-and/) [Mary Heaton Vorse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-heaton-vorse/) > [Fashion is only the attempt to realize art in living forms and social intercourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/fashion-is-only-the-attempt-to-realize-art-in-living-forms-and-social/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Social intercourse, even friendship among most people, is a merely a business arrangement that lasts only so long as there is need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/social-intercourse-even-friendship-among-most-people-is-a-merely-a/) [Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-de-souvre-marquise-de-sable/) > [The acquisition of an accurate and easy conversation, of some skill in music, and in pure and healthful diversions, are of great benefit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-bradley/the-acquisition-of-an-accurate-and-easy-conversation-of-some-skill-in/) [Joseph P. 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They knit mankind together in a mutual intercourse of good offices, distribute the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-are-no-more-useful-members-in-a-commonwealth-than-merchants/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [From social intercourse are derived some of the highest enjoyments of life; where there is a free interchange of sentiments the mind acquires new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/from-social-intercourse-are-derived-some-of-the-highest-enjoyments-of/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Nobody can write the life of a man but those who have eat and drunk and lived in social intercourse with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-can-write-the-life-of-a-man-but-those-who-have-eat-and-drunk/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [In the studio system, things are expected of a film. 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Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [So I went to a club the other day, which is timely because my self esteem had been hovering right around 'normal' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/so-i-went-to-a-club-the-other-day-which-is-timely-because-my-self/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. 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Integrity is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/don-t-worry-so-much-about-your-self-esteem-worry-more-about-your/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [Spina bifida affects every single aspect of your life, from your child's self-esteem to your ability to sleep at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-ari-parker/spina-bifida-affects-every-single-aspect-of-your-life-from-your-child/) [Nicole Ari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-ari-parker/) > [You never exist quite so much as when you are not thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-never-exist-quite-so-much-as-when-you-are-not-thinking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Never let the opinion of another affect your opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/never-let-the-opinion-of-another-affect-your-opinion-of-yourself/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [You'd be surprised how addicting high self-esteem is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/you-d-be-surprised-how-addicting-high-self-esteem-is/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [The only thing I pay attention to with free throws is what a guy does in the final four minutes of a game. 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