Friendship: Are We Getting It All Wrong? | Wrong Words Podcast

In this new episode of the Wrong Words Podcast, hosts Oliver Marcelle and Luvon Dungee dive headfirst into a word that we use constantly—but often without really understanding its depth: Friendship.

Coming off the heels of our deep two-part conversation on Love, we realized quickly that Friendship deserves just as much careful attention. If you haven't yet listened to the Love episodes, we encourage you to go back first—it’ll set the perfect foundation for what we uncover today.

In this conversation, we start with simple questions:

• What does it really mean to be a friend?

• How does the word friendship differ from love?

• Are we using the word friend way too loosely?

• Does true friendship actually begin within us first?

And trust us—once you hear the roots of this word, you'll start questioning everything you thought you knew.

🧠 In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why true friendship starts with self-friendship

• How most of us confuse mutual benefit with mutual affection

• Why “friend” isn’t just someone you share activities with

• How social media has completely distorted what it means to be "friends"

• The impact of loyalty, care, and companionship on real friendships

• What ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Old English reveal about the true essence of the word friend

• The often unseen connection between friendship and love—and why skipping friendship leads to unhealthy love

📖 We also break down:

• Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and Oxford definitions of friendship (spoiler: they’re way too loose)

• The Old English root freondscipe and Proto-Germanic word frijōnd meaning “one who loves”

• The Indo-European root pri- meaning “to love, to care”

• Biblical insights like “a friend sticks closer than a brother” and “he who has friends must first show himself friendly”

• Why loyalty to ourselves is the foundation for any real external friendship

🎯 This episode will challenge you to think about:

• How you define your friendships today

• Whether you're actually being a friend—or just benefitting from others

• How we misuse the word "friend" and what that reveals about us

• How being intentional with our words can heal, grow, or protect the relationships that matter most

This is not a lecture. It's an invitation to reflect, rethink, and reframe how we move through life—and relationships—with more purpose.

💬 Join the conversation:
Who in your life truly fits the definition of a friend?
How has learning the origins of this word changed your view of the friendships you have—or thought you had?

We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments, DM us, or drop a review!

📲 Don’t forget to:
✅ Subscribe to the podcast
✅ Like and share this episode
✅ Follow us on social media @WrongWordsPodcast
✅ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for full video episodes

🧩 Wrong words create wrong conversations. Let's choose—and live—better words, together.

#WrongWordsPodcast #Friendship #TrueFriendship #SelfLove #WordPower #RelationshipsMatter #EmotionalIntelligence #PodcastForThinkers