While I can see where this viewpoint works, I disagree with the ROI assessment. Friends can and do provide very strong returns on investment. They can help wi

While I can see where this viewpoint works, I disagree with the ROI assessment. Friends can and do provide very strong returns on investment. They can help with asset accumulation (networking for better jobs; in my case I helped a couple of friends with portfolio management of their retirement plans!). Friends are part of a lifestyle. My lifestyle includes doing group activities with friends 2 nights a week. The social interaction that happens between rounds of trivia is more important to me than the trivia result themselves. Friends are part of a family, too. Good friends accept and even enjoy it when your partner/kids come along. Eventually you can enter into babysitting swap systems where one family watches the kids while the other couple goes and does other stuff. Also it's important to model mature friendship patterns for your kids. So overall, friendship isn't only super important in it's own right, it also overlaps with the three important categories you list in your post.