We see here in this last selection that one chooses worthy friends in part so that s/he might be
corrected or have his or her behavior "rectified" by them. 34 At first this may strike us as being a
bit masochistic, or at least odd, to choose friends who will reprove one. Yet, following the points
outlined above, we see that this notion conforms perfectly with the entire life of moral cultivation
led by the Superior Person in which friendship is also a foundational requirement for this moral
living. The Superior Person practices his or her virtue in service to the community, and one aspect of the support s/he derives from the community is this sub-community of like-spirited
people:
The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man (chün-tzu) on grounds of culture (wen)35
meets with his friends, and by their friendship helps his virtue (jen)" (The Analects 12:24).