"So you shouldn't really flatter yourself that they want to be your buddy. They don't. Generally. They want you for some reason or other, and you just have to fend that off all the time"
About this Quote
The subtext is about power and access, especially in media ecosystems where “buddy” is a currency word. Loder came up in the era when MTV and celebrity journalism blurred the line between coverage and hangout culture. In that world, everyone learns the same trick: make it personal so the ask feels harmless. His phrasing “for some reason or other” is deliberately vague because the motive hardly matters. It could be a quote, a favor, an introduction, a photo, credibility by association. The point is that the demand arrives wearing a grin.
“Fend that off all the time” is the bleak punchline: boundary-setting isn’t a one-time speech, it’s maintenance. The sentence assumes a constant low-grade siege, the kind that comes with visibility or influence. Loder’s cynicism is less worldview than workplace safety manual. If you accept the buddy story, you’ll feel guilty when you say no; if you see the transaction, you can decline without self-drama. That’s the survival logic underneath the sting.
Quote Details
| Topic | Fake Friends |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Loder, Kurt. (2026, January 17). So you shouldn't really flatter yourself that they want to be your buddy. They don't. Generally. They want you for some reason or other, and you just have to fend that off all the time. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/so-you-shouldnt-really-flatter-yourself-that-they-80978/
Chicago Style
Loder, Kurt. "So you shouldn't really flatter yourself that they want to be your buddy. They don't. Generally. They want you for some reason or other, and you just have to fend that off all the time." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/so-you-shouldnt-really-flatter-yourself-that-they-80978/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"So you shouldn't really flatter yourself that they want to be your buddy. They don't. Generally. They want you for some reason or other, and you just have to fend that off all the time." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/so-you-shouldnt-really-flatter-yourself-that-they-80978/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.









