science · the day's top 10 · june 4th

Storyflo Health — Daily Health Brief · Jun 4, 2026 · 27m

The essay on friendship argues that modern relationships have become more like professional networks, measured in terms of usefulness, leverage and emotional bandwidth. People now track the return on social investments, preferring contacts who can provide future advantage rather than simply sharing time. This shift turns genuine, unbalanced friendship into a ledger, making spontaneous, purpose‑free interaction feel uncomfortable. The writer cites Aristotle’s view that the highest form of friendship is chosen for who the other person is, not for what they can deliver, and notes that such…