There were a number of issues I had with that article; I won't address them all here, because I would end up quoting most of the article.
Overall, I disagree with the main thesis and the tone of the article. I do not believe that women and men have to "spend less than two hours a week" with each other unless they're romantically involved. That two hours could be easily consumed in one trip to the mall (which usually takes longer than that), one stop for coffee, or yelling "hi" to each other between classes.
I do agree that in any relationship - including friendship - communication is important. Both parties should
always know what the other is thinking about them. Even among just girls or just guys, a lack of communication can lead to that feeling of "backstabbing", "talking behind their back" or other feelings of betrayal.
I also agree that neither men nor women should expect that the opposite sex communicates the same way.
On average, the typical man does not always follow non-verbal cues, changes in eye or facial expression or slight shifts in behavior patterns as being a way of communicating something.
On average, the typical woman does not blurt something out bluntly or expect someone to speak up about every change in thoughts they have.
However, that
does not mean that friendships - including what this article calls "intimate friendships", meaning that the two spend several hours a week with each other - are impossible or should be avoided. As EricTheFred pointed out, it just boils down to recognizing that even if you are attracted to someone, there doesn't have to be a romantic relationship involved. I think a lot of my husband's friends are good looking, funny and would make good husbands - and in fact they are and do, because most of them are married. Does that mean I expect to be romantically involved? No - it just means that I acknowledge that they are great people and good looking.
As far as "too much" interaction goes - phooey on that as well. My husband and I recently took a ski trip for an entire weekend with nine other people - his friends and their wives, and some of his friends' friends, and all 11 of use cohabitated very well in a cabin that only slept eight and only had three bedrooms. When friendship is understood to be friendship, it becomes a huge family - sharing the chores, cooking, eating, living and sleeping in the same rooms and the same house just as a family would. Yes, "family" could be interpreted as husband and wife, but if you choose to interpret it as "siblings" instead, then you have an entirely different group dynamic. (Which in our case was proven true several years ago, when the guys in our group decided to re-enact "Wrestlemania" in the center of the livingroom, using the couch as the turnbuckle and top ropes.
Siblings are siblings, and like siblings tend to do stupid things from time to time.)
? Discuss! Personally I think it's strange to say it's impossible and/or wrong for a guy and girl to have a close platonic friendship.
