Relationships
This page describes relationships between 2 or more human beings.
We know that, and it is or should commonly be well known, that if 2 human beings are in a relationship, then the history, the nature and all facets of this relationship are quite unique. And one approach to cope with this fact might be not to write or talk about relationships in general. Our approach, however, is to describe and thereby define certain relationship types. Your very concrete relationship is then likely a mix of those types; plus some more features that are beyond our limited types catalogue.
The ambition of this page is to be quite complete but never to be really complete with listing all relationship types. If you, dear reader, finds a very important hole, please let us know and we are happy to try to describe one or more additional types. Also, our definitions may be flawed, then also please let us know. But be aware that these are just definitions - a relationships vocabulary. If we go into details and sometimes rate or assess positive and negative aspects of certain types, this is clearly marked with "Comments:" in italics.
The sequence of relationship types described here is quite arbitrary. Maybe at some point, we'll find a more logical one ... or switch to purely alphabetic sorting.
No or very loose relationship types
R0.0 No relationship
Between any 2 human beings there can be no relation.
Comments: This is a practical statement. When diving into philosophy or maybe even the 'deep physical nature of things', we are not exactly sure, if the 'no relation' relationship type between any 2 human beings exists. For the moment and for practical purposes, however, we want to assume that it exists. If I have no relation with another human XYZ living some 10'000km away, both leading quiet lifes, never heard nor seen each other nor crossed paths ... then, let us settle for the definition that I and XYZ have no relation.
R0.1 Casually crossed - being close - read about
Unnoticed, 2 human beings might have physically come close to each other; not touched though and, maybe even saw each other or one the other, but not actively took notice of each other. Or unnoticed by 1 of 2 human beings, one of them may read about or see the other, but more or less instantly forgets this again.
Comments: This, for most practical purposes, is close to 'no relation'. It has potential for more, though. For example, if those 2 people have observed an accident or crime and are both acting as witnesses. Or both saw a show and comment on it.
Loose professional or personal relationship types
R1.1 Online order clerk
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R1.2 Shop shopping clerk
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R1.3 Say hello when crossing
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Personal non-relatives not close relationship types
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X and Y are neighbours - just neighbours
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X and Y see each other sometimes - and X flirts with Y or Y is X's crush
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X and Y see each other sometimes - and like to talk, not more
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Professional relationship types
RX, a company - company representative - a person, works for me or my company or delivers products or services
This is defined as "Person 1 buys work/service, a product from person 2 (or a company)".
Ok, this is the easy form. It often gets complicated in the 'family' or 'people being somehow personally together' constellation. But it can be appended as follows in the constellation "Persons 1 and 1a, the parents, are each 50% responsible for 0..n other persons without income, usually the children":
"Person 1a buys the work/service at 50% of the price from person 1". And this implies that both parents agree on what work/service is to be bought. A very simple form to solve this is that Person 1 gives the full amount to Person 1a which then chooses what to buy - or vice versa.
It can get more complex when 3 or more people are co-responsible. We do not want to dive into this.
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I am employed at a company
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Me, company/organisation responsible, acquire a contract with X and the contract is fulfilled.
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My direct or indirect boss(es).
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My direct or indirect co-workers.
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I employ a household or other personal services help (or get it for free).
Just to introduce this: we step into the potentially most 'delicate' area of professional relationships. This and the next one are often mixed with other purely personal relationships. And may cause mutual trouble: the personal relationship suffers from this professional one and, vice versa, this professional relationship may suffer from the personal relationship.
Anyway, we think it helps or may help to definitionally clearly separate this professional relationship from all or none others one may have with the same person.
Professionally, this relationship is defined as "Person 1 living in a household gets help from person 2 for a price that can be zero". This help can be
- Clean the house or parts of it.
- Cook (and do the dishes)
- Gardening
- Construction, repair, ... or any more skilled work at/for the house
- Drive around, go shopping, ...
Note that "for free" here means for free. If 2 grown people live together, and 1 earns money and the other not, then, likely such work does not incur real money flowing but it is not for free and must be valued in currency.
If it is really for free, then it is called a present or voluntary work or something along those lines.
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I provide household or other personal services help (or do it for free).
This is the reverse of the above.
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Personal non-relatives but close relationship types
X and Y are a pair
This is defined as "Persons 1 and 2 are mutually sexually attracted and have sexual intercourse on a regular basis".
This may look a bit a narrow definition. And very often, if X and Y are a pair, the some couple also has other relationship types, like living in the same household, 1 buying stuff for both, 1 doing housework for both, both being 50/50 responsible for children, etc.
But we insist that "X and Y are a pair" can mean just this. X and Y meet 4 times or any number of occurrences a week and enjoy sex for 2 or any number of hours. Of course, they also talk and exchange information and non-sexual emotions during mating/meeting but essentally, this is it.
They do not live in the same household, there are no financial obligations, no 'common caring for children' or 'caring for each other in emergency cases', etc. Of course, we know, the mentioned additional relationship types are often combined. But they do not have to be.
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Live together - being a residential community
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Live together - being a residential community
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