FRIENDS VS. ACQUAINTANCES

I agree that relationships can be impersonal or personal. Then again, I think that people cannot have an impersonal and personal relationship at the same time. The relationships with acquaintances are usually impersonal while that of friends is personal.
I believe that a friend is different from an acquaintance. For one, a friend is more permanent while an acquaintance tends to be temporary. To me, an acquaintance is someone who doesn’t necessarily share an attachment to another. Instead, they may possess similar ideals, goals or interests with another. However, I do believe that an acquaintance can become a friend with time; a friend cannot become an acquaintance. An acquaintance may be someone you say hello to once in a while when you see that person at a particular location. An acquaintance can be found in a number of places. You may discover acquaintances at school, work, on the train or even right across the street from you. Also, you might meet a friend through other people including family and existing friends. Some people go about meeting a friend by observing their mannerisms and behaviors to see how they are. Other people may observe potential friends while they interact with their own friends. With acquaintances and friends, the ultimate test of who someone can be determined by the way they act towards others. I usually do not share information that is personal with an acquaintance as I would with a friend. For example, in school, I have acquaintances that share some of my classes with me that I talk to about school-related subjects. Usually, I refrain from discussing my own personal issues and problems with them. The rationale for this is that the level of trust I have in an acquaintance is not the same as it is with my friends. I trust my friends more than my acquaintances because I share a bond with them. I am understood by them and more familiar with them. In life, we are so engaged in our own and the activities of our close-ones that it is harder to formulate new friendships but easier to gain relationships with acquaintances.
Friendships are transactional because there is an equal exchange between two people; however, relationships with acquaintances are typically distant. Generally speaking, we seek advice, acceptance, support, relationship longevity, personal privacy and feedback from our friends. Additionally, in many cases, we seek honesty, reliability, and trust in friendships. With acquaintances we seek people who can occupy our time. Acquaintances are often relationships of convenience when we are looking for a temporary companion to talk to when our friends are not present. Ordinarily, both relationships are subject to change over time when interests shift. When interests are shifted, these relationships can be easily compromised and thus tend to crumble. The true test of “good” and “bad” relationships is based on whether it is valuable or not and if it meets one’s needs, desires and preferences.