you can separate your friends from hangers-on by focusing on those that are willing to stand up to you, those that are willing to criticize you and those that are willing to set you straight when you're wrong.

it is those that focus on evidence over loyalty that are actually your friends, and those that insist on vacuous nonsense like "loyalty" that are trying to manipulate you for self-interest.

those that remain quiet, that let you make stupid mistakes, that take your side withouut conditions - these are not your friends.

and, when people make ultimatums about support on the basis of loyalty, they are certainly not your friends, either.

nor are they very intelligent... or somebody that you should lament the loss of. these are people that you not only don't want to fall for, but that you want to actively push away from you.

jagmeet singh must cut his beard.