Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Hmmm. I think it's creators more intended it to be a reflection of more general personality traits - the idea that a person wouldn't have friends they couldn't stand, or whose views and actions where abhorrent to them. And the way one responds to their friends - does ones take a tough stance with them if they do something one doesn't agree with? Or do they go along with it? Leaders, followers and all that jazz.Ergo, if you, using stereotypes, hung around with a bunch of jocks who laugh at disabled people falling down stairs, and you laugh with them then you must be at least a bit like them personality wise - something which reflects on your character, as you wouldn't have friends who you didn't like or at least have something in common with. The whole birds flock together thing. Or more simply if you are friends with a bunch of saints (or bastards) then logically you to must be a saint (or bastard) otherwise why would you be with them? If your not like them but go along with them it says something about your character. Friends, like clothes, they would say, reflect on you.
Of course it's an overtly simplistic way to approach things. In reality it isn't nearly as easy as that, personality/character is a complex thing, and there are some people who act differently around their friends then when they are alone, or with others. At the very best you might be able to pick up some very basic generalities, but nothing you could write an in depth profile with. And those generalities could very well be wrong.
ditto