Affirmation

The basic function of human social behavior, affirmation is essentially the idea behind "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." To affirm another's existence is to reassure them that they possess traits favorable to survival. This can include something as simple as laughing at someone's joke, an affirmation that they are indeed clever enough to set up a gap that someone with your intelligence can close (implying that their cleverness will also apply to legitimately threatening situations), or something intensely serious, such as the awarding of combat honors in the military, a recognition of what we call bravery.

Mutual affirmation is typically the goal of any given relationship. Not all relationships result in this way, given deceptions, misconceptions, and all manner of other human errors, but it is the goal. We encourage each other to leave relationships of all kinds when they appear to be one-sided, as such behavior flies against the idea of preservation of self, which we all share.