What We Don't Say About Friendship | Manu Joseph | TEDxChennai

Why are friends the most powerful group on earth; Why are they the best conductors of fake news; why are we lonely in the golden age of friendship.
In this wit-filled, hillarious talk, Manu Joseph discusses theories on friendship and its golden age.
Manu Joseph is the author of Serious Men and The Illicit Happiness of Other People, widely acclaimed novels that have been translated into several languages. He is a former columnist of The International New York Times. When he was the editor of the Open Magazine he had broken the Niira Radia Tapes story. His third novel is forthcoming.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@TodoNaturalPetGroom]

The secret to a rich social life is to have low standard for friends!! haha...awesome!

[@VarunKumar-fn4fm]

The maturity of thought to develop this perspective is something only Manu has.

[@ramabapat]

Never had friends, never felt lonely.. sometimes worry there might be in an emergency with no one to call for help. Friendship is high maintenance, though.

[@johnjohn3849]

Hi Are you high maintaince? People are the reflection of our inner light. We can only give what we have.

[@alwells5779]

@@johnjohn3849 This is silly. If this were the case, there would be no such thing as injustice, as bullying, as betrayal... People are people. What they do or do not do to you is not neccesssarly anything other than a reflection of who they are. Who you are is reflected in what you allow or accept after they do whatever they do. Otherwise, they are them and you are you and that's the extent of it.

[@yolandaw.1257]

My def of friend; family I choose to have. My standards to be called my friend are high. Higher and harder than being my boyfriend. 3 year wait list before consideration. Everyone else not related are strangers and acquaintances.

[@kiranmaddu8006]

A beautiful piece to listen to and think about. Loneliness like Happiness is also a personality. The definition and parameters of "Friend" change with the phase of life too - At one stage we need them for approval, the next phase - for company; the next phase - for sharing ideas about the future and comparing (that is the time - a friends success can cause transient death in you - some caused it to me and I caused too many); the next phase - it is mostly suggestions of life's career; after this - if you are married - your family may become the whole world of friends to you. The social media part - is also very funny - yup - someone agrees with my views - he is my friend and those not agreeing with you sorry buddy lol.

[@intelligentcat192]

Very good talk. Witty, informative, excellent!

[@user-eq1pq1co2c]

Me: i am starting to get desperate i need more friends Conclusion: get a one real friend

[@rakvi5437]

Hello Manu Joseph, Your Ted talk reminded me of Daniel Kaluyya's monologue from 15 million merits. It was a great talk.

[@BhriguAneja]

Manu is contradicting himself. We own our friends, they own us. Friends are like mini cults. They have to agree with each other to keep their friendships alive. To agree with our friends we bend our thought processes and belief systems. So in essence friends mold us into people we become.

[@Gaurav7238]

Genius!

[@sohanbadade2171]

Gaurav Ghosh 😁😁

[@trigger3319]

2:10 I feel that way.

[@patriciacole8773]

Government involvement in friendship! That thought would absolutely never occur to me. But… maybe it’s as odd as thinking people at church will be friends. Or people at work. Or neighbors. Hmmmm. I’ve heard that when the Lord puts two people together it’s meant to be mutually beneficial.

[@GMAIL.COM139]

[@pri-sha]

Uh. The thing he lacked in life is LOVE. that’s all.

[@sritamamanna5796]

You should read his columns. Most of the time he comes up with different POV in every case. He is a fun person. But he is very minimalist as well.

[@trigger3319]

Only a mother is capable of loving her children.

[@bohemianskingdom7528]

@@trigger3319 well some mothers doesn't realize that

[@trigger3319]

@@bohemianskingdom7528 agree.

[@rohitigc]

What a screwed up way of looking at things and especially relationships. It’s his view though!

[@sritamamanna5796]

His view is very clear though.

[@rohitigc]

@@sritamamanna5796 Have no doubt but found it pretty dark and gloomy. As I said, his opinion, his life.

[@sritamamanna5796]

@@rohitigc if you go through his interviews you will see that he see things as it is. Never has he tried to make things extra romantic, extra gloomy or extra fair. I agree that his views are shocking. But you will get used to it and then start enjoying.

[@raphaelsanluis9711]

This is why we should never take things too personally.

[@raphaelsanluis9711]

This is why we must learn how to be yourself first .

[@akaruppannan]

good conversation but bad articulation.

[@anonymouss4594]

disappointing... subject was interesting but not articulated well enough