Oddly enough, this idea that your spouse should also be your best friend is a relatively recent idea. I found a Psychology Today article that surveyed couples in 2020 and discovered that:
Among adults currently in a romantic relationship, the vast majority (83 percent) considered their current partner to be their best friend. For those who are currently married, the rate was even higher. Men and women had similar rates, while younger respondents were slightly less likely than older respondents to view their partner as their best friend.
However:
In a 1993 study, only 44 percent of couples indicated their romantic partner was also their best bud.
So, in 1995, when Lynn Johnston did this comic strip, this idea was still relatively novel.
Comments 22
:And here we are with the strip:
( ... )
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We've had some flashback strips to Elly as a kid but I haven't seen any that mentioned ANYTHING about her having even one friend!
Why does John look so scared when Elly calls him her best friend?
I don't think there's anything wrong with calling your spouse your best friend but neither of them acts like much of a friend to the other at all.
"Partner" could refer to a lot of VERY different types of relationships; it's a really vague word.
"Are the girls looking forward to starting in a new school?" is a dumb question. What kid actually likes school?
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It seems to me that Connie is the first friend Elly actually made.
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I'm guessing they didn't know eachother when they were kids.
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Oddly enough, this idea that your spouse should also be your best friend is a relatively recent idea. I found a Psychology Today article that surveyed couples in 2020 and discovered that:
Among adults currently in a romantic relationship, the vast majority (83 percent) considered their current partner to be their best friend. For those who are currently married, the rate was even higher. Men and women had similar rates, while younger respondents were slightly less likely than older respondents to view their partner as their best friend.
However:
In a 1993 study, only 44 percent of couples indicated their romantic partner was also their best bud.
So, in 1995, when Lynn Johnston did this comic strip, this idea was still relatively novel.
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I remember hearing people say they were married to their best friend a lot earlier than 1993.
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True. If it was at 44% in 1993, that is still a generous percentage, which would imply it being a popular thing before then.
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Stupid sappy comment not grounded in reality speaks for stupid self.
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