I got a really hostile email yesterday from people whom I used to consider my oldest friends. Evidently, their amazement at my disillusionment with the naive, idealistic politics of my youth led them to decide that I had become a Republican. In other parts of the letter, they showed that they still view people through the lens we shared when we met in High School.
I feel sad about this; the letter seemed deliberately hurtful, and they have severed all ties with me without any discussion. They have obviously discussed this at length with each other, and I can only assume they have breathed each others' fumes and come to some absurd conclusions.
Regardless, even if everything they mistakenly believe were true, I don't understand how that qualifies as grounds for ending a relationship. The only clause that I truly comprehended read "we did not enjoy your company." I consider that a sufficient reason to end a friendship... maybe. Would anyone who might read this end a friendship based on political differences, though?
I feel sad about this; the letter seemed deliberately hurtful, and they have severed all ties with me without any discussion. They have obviously discussed this at length with each other, and I can only assume they have breathed each others' fumes and come to some absurd conclusions.
Regardless, even if everything they mistakenly believe were true, I don't understand how that qualifies as grounds for ending a relationship. The only clause that I truly comprehended read "we did not enjoy your company." I consider that a sufficient reason to end a friendship... maybe. Would anyone who might read this end a friendship based on political differences, though?
burnt_halo:
I would only end a friendship on those grounds if we disagreed and the friend forced their views down my throat. We don't have to agree but we can respect our right to disagree.