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Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by roncesvalles on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:03PM (#34669358)
This is exactly the attitude that I'm protesting against. I don't agree that you can make even close to the same depth of friendship with someone who you see 2 hours a week, vs someone you see 8 hours a day 5 days a week for months. Work or school are really the only places where you can spend that much time with someone.

Then again, part of the problem is that people have forgotten what real friendships are like. "Friends" these days are just people you go to restaurants/clubs/concerts/vacations/hiking/camping with so that you don't have to go alone. That's not friendship. That's just people you hang out with.

It might cure the itch for a real friendship, but don't confuse it for one.

Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by thebradbain on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:21PM (#34669559)
Look, I have plenty of close friends of many years who I see every single day. My home is essentially a community gathering spot at this point. My social calendar is as packed, if not more packed, than my work calendar. And for me personally there’s no overlap between the two. I am friendly with all of my colleagues, but I would not call them friends.

Forcing me to come into an office would not change that; I completely understand that those in a new city without a strong group of friends would benefit from going to the office— and at most jobs they’re already free to go in if they choose, to work alongside people who also _choose_ to go into the office. Choose is the key word here. Work for me is a job first, and I’m not looking to make a best friend at work, so don’t force me to come in for that reason alone.

Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by virtual_void on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:12PM (#34669450)
You’re assuming your feelings about how other people make meaningful relationships are universal. It can be true for you yet untrue for others. It seems a bit much to state it as fact.
Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by roncesvalles on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:16PM (#34669503)
Establishing a common goalpost is critical to even discussing this topic. I agree that "meaningful" is personal and subjective, but it's also incorrect to take the lowest common denominator definition of friendship as the valid one.
Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by virtual_void on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:38PM (#34669738)
Totally agree re your first sentence. The second sentence is stating things as fact with regards to how you feel about relationships.

I don’t see how a persons feelings about how they think about relationships can be invalid.

Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by Volundr on Sunday February 05, 2023 @04:47PM (#34669849)
> I don't agree that you can make even close to the same depth of friendship with someone who you see 2 hours a week, vs someone you see 8 hours a day 5 days a week for months.

With the exception of fast food, I have never, ever spent this kind of time with a co-worker. I don't deny jobs like this exist, but it would certainly be the exception for all the tech jobs I've worked.

Re:Ask HN: Employers, why do you want us back in the office? by whynaut on Sunday February 05, 2023 @05:27PM (#34670348)
> that’s not friendship, that’s just people you hang out with

weird I thought you were talking about coworkers for a second