How the Passionate Male Friendship Died

a year ago

The article discusses the historical shift in the perception of male friendships, from the Renaissance era's celebration of deep, platonic bonds between men to modern portrayals of male friendships as less emotionally intimate.
During the Renaissance, male friendships were often publicly celebrated and considered 'perfect' if they were based on virtue and deep emotional connection, as described by Aristotle and exemplified by figures like Sir John Finch and Sir Thomas Baines.
Women's friendships were historically dismissed or undervalued, with women often seen as incapable of the same depth of friendship as men due to prevailing misogynistic beliefs about their emotional and intellectual capacities.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a shift in emotional communities, with women's friendships becoming idealized as proof of their compassionate nature, while male friendships began to be viewed with more suspicion, especially as concerns about homosexuality grew.
The article highlights how societal norms and emotional rules shape friendships over time and suggests that reexamining these rules could help address modern issues of loneliness and social fragmentation.

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