Common Quote by Hannah Arendt
“We are wont to see friendship solely as a phenomenon of intimacy in which the friends open their hearts to each other unmolested by the world and its demands...Thus it is hard for us to understand the political relevance of friendship...But for the Greeks the essence of friendship consisted in discourse...The converse (in contrast to the intimate talk in which individuals speak about themselves), permeated though it may be by pleasure in the friend’s presence, is concerned with the common world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Human Condition, Hannah Arendt, 1958
Friendship is not only personal intimacy but also a political practice rooted in shared discourse about the common world.
In simple terms: Friendship includes both personal and political talk.
Key Takeaway
Engage in dialogue about shared concerns.
Themes
politics
friendship
discourse
community
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- civic meetings
- online forums
- neighborhood groups
- collaborative projects
Key Concepts
public sphere
shared values
dialogue
Questions to Reflect On
- How does dialogue shape political bonds?
- What risks arise when friendship is reduced to intimacy?
A Different Perspective
May overlook power imbalances that shape discourse.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
