I come from a big family with several brothers and sisters. Plus my extended family is huge. Therefore, I do feel like there is an onus on me to ever 'be there'. The question more so relates to friends. I hate it when people claim to have fifty friends on facebook, or whatever. If you are very lucky you have one, maybe (just maybe) two real friends during your entire life. In this case you will die for a friend and vice versa. There are two main indicators of real friendship (i) knowing EVERYTHING about each other (nothing is held back, there is no bragging or hiding or playing 'games') and (ii) money. What happens when a friend asks for money. It is difficult for sure... but money is the real test! I have one such friend where I simply open my wallet and empty it, or vice versa if I am stuck. Mostly though we lie, put on the fake face of sympathy saying 'i wish I could help... I truly do'... and then you instantly know there is no real friendship.
Beyond this, there is the situation where a real friend is in SERIOUS financial or legal trouble. Maybe their reputation is threatened... so you look into it. There might be some plotters and schemers doing the dirty, and in that case you go into battle mode for your friend. But for a real friend it goes beyond even this --you will ally with them even if they are in the wrong.
But mostly we love distance. That is why the internet, mobile phones, texting, facebook etc are all so popular. But it all amounts to little more than having imaginary friends. Society is starting to look very dysfunctional through all of this. Especially for the individual. Where is the community? Who will fight for you. If, god forbid, some injustice is perpetrated against you... who do you turn to for support? People are kind of socially diluted or something. We all like to thing, in a very vague way, that there are supposed 'organisations' and human rights groups to protect each individual... but are there? Are there really?
lol
