Does money determine who your friends are?

Delta Primary School
Emmanuel Hamutenya

Friends, we all have them, some true others just for the benefits they provide us or we provide to them. Some friendships are made of the earnest of emotions and compassion while others are made of trends and social class. Either way there are friendships made through money could this be one of yours?

Your charisma, confidence or sense of humour could have started some friendships. The same modest lifestyle, interests and mutual respect for one another may have created bonds. Although we have that one member that’s in it just for the gain. He or she only acknowledges you when you have the latest sneaker, phone or have enough money to supply the squad.

Other friendships only incorporate members with the latest luxuries. So if you can’t keep up with the release of phones, consoles and fashion you can consider yourself out since they might as well refer to you as is a setback.

Either way we all stay in a relationship with our friend’s cause of the bond we share. It is quite clear that we have friendships in this world determined by money.

Those types of friendships determined by money cause learners to put a strain on their parents wallets. Be sure your friendship isn’t one of those because the only person you are fooling is yourself.

I asked a few students attending Delta, whether they have seen friendships based on money. Sharifa De Carvalho, an 11th grade student,was quite explicit in her response. She said “yes, especially among people who have a high income". She went on to say "for example I’ve seen a group of students befriend one specific student because his parents are rich. He supplies them with money but they misuse his good heart. I know this particular student and he is a very good guy he is just being manipulated and used”.

Another student Cornelius Rooy also a grade 11 student had something to contribute to the question.

His response was “yes, I have seen such friendships, the friends”. Cornelius put in air quotes as emphasis “use the member with a higher stats.

Either by getting him or her to buy items for them or lend them money. I don’t think those “friendships” last long unless the high status guy or girl is oblivious of the situation.

Another student Uetutiza Kuzatjike said "yes I have but since the sole reason for that friendship’ is because of the money it will cease to exist once the money finishes”.

I asked all three students why they think their friends actually hang or associate with them.

And why they associate with their friends. Sharifa replied “because of my personality and my friends personalities we have this special connection we just click’’.

Cornelius said “to be honest I don’t know why. I would say because we have similar interests and they don’t force their interests onto me”. Uetu’s response was “its low key difficult to answer”.

Well,I suppose because they like my personality and the reason why I am with them is because they’ve become family. It’s like having a support system.

At the end it's probably their personality that interests you or you share the same life style.

Maybe it’s for the benefits they give you but at the end of it all it’s up to is you and you decide your friends, it’s just up to them to make that friendship worth keeping.

So make sure you have friends worth keeping and that will keep you.