The Evolution of Friendship and Marriage

Throughout history, the concept of friendship has been closely tied to cooperation and reciprocity, dating back even to foraging societies. Kinship was not necessarily the basis of human cooperation but rather the outcome of it. Marriage, in those early societies, served as a way to turn strangers into kin and to establish connections with other individuals and their families. As societies evolved and surpluses were produced, wealth disparities emerged, and friendship started to become more instrumental, serving to obtain resources or emotional support. In the 17th and 18th centuries, friendships became crucial, especially between men and between women, as marriage was not yet highly sexualized and emotional connections with peers were highly valued. However, with the rise of sexualized marriage ideals in the early 20th century, friendships between men and women became suspect, and male-male and female-female friendships were discouraged. The 1950s reinforced the idea that family should take priority over friendships, leading to a decline in the importance of friendships. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in exploring the balance between passionate romantic relationships and intense friendships.