Ask almost any person in the modern world what they like to do in their spare time, and one of the most common answers will be "spend time with friends". Friends play a huge part in the lives of most people. The general idea seems to be that the more friends you have, the better your life is. You cannot seem to have too many friends; The more, the merrier. Among young people especially, friends are usually the most important thing in life. Youth go out of their way to spend every waking moment with their dear friends, and their life seems meaningless whenever they cannot be chatting with a large circle of friends. Some people go so far as to change themselves for the sake of friendship, conforming to the ideals and standards set by their friends so they will be accepted by these friends. This conformism discourages individuality. But there are other problems brought on by addiction to socializing. The human mind needs time to be alone. As with most things in life, there is a balance. When someone is around others constantly, they are forced to focus on the other people, and lose touch with themselves. They have less time to examine themselves, to come to terms with their own feelings, or just to think quietly. Over time, as teens grow older and should be thinking about their place in the world, they are unable to do so, because they are too busy telling a friend about something funny that happened on the bus this morning. Lest you think that I am an anti-social recluse, be assured that I am not. I do not have many friends, but I have a few. My friends are people who can truly understand me, and who I can understand in turn. We can talk about anything with each other, and we will be there for each other if we ever need someone else. This is what true friends are; Anything else is a mere acquaintance. I have never had to try to have friends, or "work" for a friendship. True friendship comes naturally, because you get along with a person. If you have to make a strong effort to be a friend with someone, there is something wrong, and the so-called friendship is fake. Do not bother making a prolonged effort to make someone a friend just for the sake of having another; You do not need the friendship of every person in the world to live. Many people also feel that friends are needed for self-esteem, because being accepted by others makes you feel better about yourself. However, this is deriving self-esteem from outside sources. A truly happy person feels good about their own self. They do not need the approval of others to feel good about themselves. They have high self-esteem because they are self-satisfied. If you need others' approval to feel good about yourself, your friends become a crutch, and you are reliant on them to be happy. When you are not around them, you become lonely and depressed. Trying to raise your self-esteem with other people is not an appropriate substitute for feeling good about yourself. Of course, humans are social beings, and being isolated is not a good thing either. But as said before, there is a balance; Why go to one extreme or the other, when there is a middle ground? Friends are not the only good thing in life, and there is more to the world than exchanging stories over a coffee table. If you find meaning in life for yourself, instead of relying on friends to supply the meaning of life, then you will have found a great truth.