Fair enough. I was playing Devil's Advocate in any case. I tend
   to find that friends are generally more important than family in
   day-to-day things - sort of ala Camus, although he was a bit
   darker than I like. "Preferred".

   Yet, is there no value in forced communion with others? After
   all, you did not _choose_ your classmates.

   They were chosen for you. Like family.

   Amongst the set of classmates, you chose your friends, but the
   entire set of available people to choose from, was chosen for
   you.