For someone to be a friend, I must have gathered sufficient reason to believe that:
They want what is best for me.
They would put my needs higher than that of a stranger.
I can confide in them.
I can presume their honesty with me.
They want to have me as a friend (seems kind of obvious, and yet, none of the other factors actually guarantee this one).
And lastly, they must be able to understand me to some minor extent. I still can't define what the exact extent is, but it's a problem when someone wants to do all of the above things for you, but can't comprehend your personal goals.
For me, friends are rare. I would not expect anyone to be my friend if they doubted my capacity to meet the above requirements, just as I would be wary of befriending them.
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