WORLD FRIENDSHIP DAY: In the digital age, does friendship still hold up?
Celebrated every July 30th, World Friendship Day offers an ideal opportunity to reflect on the value of our relationships. As screens and social media reshape our interactions, Benin Best News went to meet with citizens. Between nostalgia for past relationships and a realistic view of the connected world, their stories paint a portrait of friendship in flux, constantly seeking authenticity.
For Djafalou ZIKI SIA, friendship rests on a fundamental trilogy: trust, respect, and loyalty. According to him, a true friend doesn’t just share moments of euphoria; they remain steadfast by your side through thick and thin. It’s also an alliance of demanding yet compassionate standards where truth prevails, helping each other grow.
Yet, this ideal clashes with the reality of a hyper-connected daily life: Swallowed up by notifications, studies, or personal ambitions, we no longer take the time for in-depth conversations.
Maintaining a genuine relationship requires continuous effort and sincere communication.
“Authentic friendship can instill courage and transform a life. It’s as important to seek out good friends as it is to strive to be one yourself.”
For Emma Saba Sambiéni, building friendships means being reciprocally helpful, showing empathy, and knowing when to guide a loved one back on track. However, she laments the impact of the virtual world, which, in her view, has drained relationships of their essence.
The trap of screens: Voice notes and instant messages create an illusion of closeness.
The illusion of “it’s okay”: Digital technology allows us to mask distress behind ready-made phrases, whereas physical presence would reveal the truth.
Emma advocates for a return to in-person friendships, built on visits and shared moments, and warmly greets her loyal friends and family in both joy and sorrow.
Rita: Between Pragmatism, Sincerity, and the Virtual World
A master’s student in criminal law at the University of Parakou, Rita N’Tcha defines friendship as a reciprocal emotional bond, independent of romantic love or blood ties. Her analysis is imbued with great pragmatism: for her, every friendship rests on an underlying interest (emotional support, intellectual stimulation, or self-improvement).
Her view on digital technology is nuanced: While it undermines the reliability of promises, digital technology offers the invaluable advantage of maintaining contact despite geographical distance.
Considering that a sincere and genuine friend can sometimes equal or replace a family member, Rita pays tribute to her companions, with a special mention for her father, her dearest friend.
Germain: “We’ve gone from friends for life to friends for wealth.”
For Germain Aloze, the ideal friendship is a brotherhood rooted in trust, tolerance, and mutual support. But his diagnosis of the current generation is uncompromising: Mutual support fades in the face of materialism. Friends are there when money is flowing, but vanish as soon as difficulties arise.
Screen addiction: Social media hasn’t killed friendship, it’s distorted it. Today, we prefer to scroll through TikTok rather than sit down together to build concrete projects.
Germain reminds us that a friend can only replace family if they share common values and ambitions.
Key takeaway
While profiles vary, a unanimous observation emerges from these accounts: trust, loyalty, and mutual support remain the beating heart of friendship, regardless of gender.
However, the pace of modern life and the culture of the virtual world threaten this precious bond by fostering superficiality. Faced with the risk of seeing friendship evaporate behind the coldness of screens, everyone agrees on one point: a true relationship is cultivated daily, with presence, sincerity, and commitment.
✍️ By Joseph HOUNKPATIN (Intern)
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