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This one sentence can markedly improve our social life.
A beautiful passage from the book ‘Letters to My Son’
In human relationships, few ideas are as simple and true as this: “People like people who like them.” I came across this line in Kent Nerburn’s book, Letters to My Son: A Father’s Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love, in a chapter called “Craig’s Lesson.” This statement captures something important about how we connect with others.
At first, it might seem like a basic observation about people’s behavior. But when you think about it more, you realize it’s a key to understanding how we interact with each other and build connections.
This quote is really about the give-and-take of affection and appreciation. We naturally gravitate toward those who make us feel valued and important. It speaks to one of the most basic human needs: feeling connected and accepted. When someone genuinely likes us, it makes us feel like we belong, like we are seen and appreciated for who we are. In return, we tend to like them back because they make us feel good about ourselves.
But why does this happen? Why do we feel so drawn to people who like us?
The answer lies in something called reciprocity, a basic part of human nature. We are social creatures, and throughout history, our survival has depended on forming bonds…