The recent response to the death of Mudcatter Col K, as well as other happenings, has me again questioning just why we develop such an attachment to people we rarely see and hardly know.

I have folkies that I consider to be friends that ..

I see probably six or seven times a year
(sometimes even less)

I will probably spend less that a couple of hours talking to them at each meeting.

yet

I know that I would rather spend time with them than with the majority of my relations.

I know other people feel the same way.
Is this a phenomena exclusive to the folk world??