Chapter 6 Summary and Analysis

The subject of Chapter 6 is "How to Be a Good Friend." De Botton quotes many praises about Proust from his friends, lauding his generosity, selflessness, modesty, great conversation, intellectual curiosity, and more. De Botton then follows this list with Proust's own quotations on friendship. Proust's quotations are full of cynicism about friendship. Proust describes friendship as a lie and a farce, a foolish sacrifice.

Proust's point was that we are not ourselves when with friends, and that the act of conversation is far inferior to the act of writing, insofar as sincere expression of the self. Why is conversation so inferior? Only with writing is a person able to think and make thoughtful decisions about what to say. Conversation, on the other hand, is quick and constant, and does not allow for the kind of introspection necessary for true expression. Additionally...