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In the [[Summa Theologica]], Part II-II, Question 114, St. [[Thomas Aquinas]] speaks of a certain virtue which is commonly translated as “the friendliness which is called affability.” This friendliness, he notes, governs relationships between people because “it behooves man to be maintained in a becoming order towards other men as regards their mutual relations with one another, in point of both deeds and words, so that they behave towards one another in a becoming manner.” It does not only govern those relationships which are intimate or proximate; rather “Every man is naturally every man's friend by a certain general love; even so it is written (Ecclesiasticus 13:19) that ‘every beast loveth its like.’” This does not mean that everyone must be treated with equal intimacy – some people are connected to us by a closer bond than others – but that there is a minimum affability or common decency which is owed to all persons.<ref>[https://opwest.org/blog/the-friendliness-called-affability#:~:text=Thomas%20Aquinas%20speaks%20of%20a,mutual%20relations%20with%20one%20another%2C The Friendliness Called Affability], Dominican Friars</ref>}}
In the [[Summa Theologica]], Part II-II, Question 114, St. [[Thomas Aquinas]] speaks of a certain virtue which is commonly translated as “the friendliness which is called affability.” This friendliness, he notes, governs relationships between people because “it behooves man to be maintained in a becoming order towards other men as regards their mutual relations with one another, in point of both deeds and words, so that they behave towards one another in a becoming manner.” It does not only govern those relationships which are intimate or proximate; rather “Every man is naturally every man's friend by a certain general love; even so it is written (Ecclesiasticus 13:19) that ‘every beast loveth its like.’” This does not mean that everyone must be treated with equal intimacy – some people are connected to us by a closer bond than others – but that there is a minimum affability or common decency which is owed to all persons.<ref>[https://opwest.org/blog/the-friendliness-called-affability#:~:text=Thomas%20Aquinas%20speaks%20of%20a,mutual%20relations%20with%20one%20another%2C The Friendliness Called Affability], Dominican Friars</ref>}}
The Dominican Friars website article ''The Life of Virtue – Affability'' notes:
{{Cquote|Humans are social creatures. We are linked by our common humanity to every person by a special general friendship. As St. Thomas says “we are naturally every man’s friend”.
This special virtue of Friendliness is, however, not necessarily about affection. It is about behaving in a becoming manner. Of course there are different degrees of intimacy and behaviour: a relationship with a stranger is very different to that with a friend of longstanding years; likewise our friendly behaviour in a library is very different to friendly behaviour at a dinner party. Nevertheless the common friendship should underline all our social interactions. When we practise this virtue it obliges us to live in an agreeable manner. When we practise this virtue we bring a little bit of joy, we make life pleasant for others. As Aristotle points out “no one could abide a day with the sad, nor with the joyless”.
St. Thomas shows that the special virtue of Friendliness is part of justice. Whilst this might seem strange, we each owe one other a natural debt. We are obliged by a natural equity to be pleasant, amicable and friendly, due to the social nature of humanity. It can be a difficult virtue to practise but it helps us to flourish both morally and within society.<ref>[https://www.english.op.org/godzdogz/the-life-of-virtue-affability/ ''The Life of Virtue – Affability''], Dominican Friars website</ref>}}
== See also ==
== See also ==