5 Valuable Friendship Lessons I Learned from Persona 5
As I was playing through Persona 5, I mused about how many video games like Minecraft, The Sims, and Soda Drinker Pro can teach us important life skills. However, P5 has the most valuable lesson of all: How to harness the power of friendship.
If you're like me and rely on video games to learn how to properly navigate social interactions, this guide will prove extremely helpful. Mastering these skills will allow you to overcome your awkwardness at the next party, shindig, or Friday Night Magic you attend.
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Lesson 1: Always Be Lying
The best way to get on a person's good side is to tell them what they want to hear rather than what you really think. Tactful diplomacy and small lies are the basis to a healthy friendship, after all.
You see, the truth often hurts, and it's important not to hurt your friends. So while some responses may seem correct because they are the factual truth, the best answers aren't always based on reality. Oftentimes, it's quite the opposite.
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Lesson 2: Put On the Right Persona
When hanging out with your friends in Persona 5, the Personas you are currently carrying affects the outcome of your encounter. For example, if your friend is of the Star Arcana, they'll appreciate you more if you act like a monkey holding a sword or a multi-headed snake when you're talking to them.
In other words, the mask you wear is important. Contrary to what Saturday morning cartoons and public broadcasting has taught you, you should never be yourself. Everyone has their own perception of you, and if you
act out of that character, they're forced to re-evaluate who you are as a
person. Don't force that upon them.
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Lesson 3: Friendship Can be Min-Maxed
Relationships have diminishing returns, and you have to invest more time to get a bigger kinship boost as your bonds deepen. So that means there comes a point where you'll get very little in return. Once you've formed the strongest bond of kinship possible with your friends, there's no reason to hang out with them anymore.
After all, you've already proven how far you're each willing to take the relationship, so why not spend your free time pursuing other friendships, reading, or playing video games alone in your attic?
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Lesson 4: Pay to Win
There are things money can't buy, but friendship isn't one of them. You can improve a relationship by buying a gift for that special someone, and the more expensive the gift, the stronger the relationship boost.
This is because giving a gift sends a strong message. You're telling this person that you like them enough to invest your time and your money into them, which makes them feel useful and loved. In the end, everyone just wants to be treated like a commodity, or a 401(k).
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Lesson 5: Friendship is Magic
Strong, long-lasting relationships aren't built on honesty and commitment. There's a fair amount of luck and divine intervention involved, too. In Persona 5, you can talk to the fortune teller or visit the Meiji Shrine to remotely deepen your bonds with your friends.
When you're failing at relationships, or anything in life, for that matter, you can always turn to the occult. It's been historically well-documented that the power of prayer has solved everything from institutionalized racism to gay people.
You don't have to worry about actually spending time with your friends if you can just beam your good intentions and positive vibes at them from afar. Even if you're not physically with them, at least your thoughts and prayers are, and that's good enough.
If you're like me and rely on video games to learn how to properly navigate social interactions, this guide will prove extremely helpful. Mastering these skills will allow you to overcome your awkwardness at the next party, shindig, or Friday Night Magic you attend.
------
Lesson 1: Always Be Lying
The best way to get on a person's good side is to tell them what they want to hear rather than what you really think. Tactful diplomacy and small lies are the basis to a healthy friendship, after all.
 |
| Why yes, I'd love to work for you for free. |
------
Lesson 2: Put On the Right Persona
When hanging out with your friends in Persona 5, the Personas you are currently carrying affects the outcome of your encounter. For example, if your friend is of the Star Arcana, they'll appreciate you more if you act like a monkey holding a sword or a multi-headed snake when you're talking to them.
 |
| A cat is fine, too |
------
Lesson 3: Friendship Can be Min-Maxed
Relationships have diminishing returns, and you have to invest more time to get a bigger kinship boost as your bonds deepen. So that means there comes a point where you'll get very little in return. Once you've formed the strongest bond of kinship possible with your friends, there's no reason to hang out with them anymore.
After all, you've already proven how far you're each willing to take the relationship, so why not spend your free time pursuing other friendships, reading, or playing video games alone in your attic?
 |
| Maximum Friendship |
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Lesson 4: Pay to Win
There are things money can't buy, but friendship isn't one of them. You can improve a relationship by buying a gift for that special someone, and the more expensive the gift, the stronger the relationship boost.
This is because giving a gift sends a strong message. You're telling this person that you like them enough to invest your time and your money into them, which makes them feel useful and loved. In the end, everyone just wants to be treated like a commodity, or a 401(k).
 |
| A good investment |
------
Lesson 5: Friendship is Magic
Strong, long-lasting relationships aren't built on honesty and commitment. There's a fair amount of luck and divine intervention involved, too. In Persona 5, you can talk to the fortune teller or visit the Meiji Shrine to remotely deepen your bonds with your friends.
 |
| 1 like = 1 prayer |
You don't have to worry about actually spending time with your friends if you can just beam your good intentions and positive vibes at them from afar. Even if you're not physically with them, at least your thoughts and prayers are, and that's good enough.
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