"For without friends no one would choose to live, though they had all other goods."
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics

We’re more connected than ever—group chats, playlists, tagged stories. And yet, loneliness lingers.

Aristotle saw this coming. In Nicomachean Ethics, he stated that even with all the riches in the world, no one would choose to live without friends.

He laid out three kinds of friendship: pleasure, utility, and virtue.

Friendships of pleasure are built around shared joy—surfing at sunrise, being in a flow state while rolling, solving a bouldering problem together. They’re light, energizing, often fleeting.

Friendships of utility are about mutual benefit. A training partner prepping you for comp. A last-minute belayer for an outdoor climb. These relationships are helpful, practical—and sometimes transactional.

*Django Unchained - Dr. Schultz (left) and Django (right); Dr. Schultz helps Django find his wife, inexchange Django helps Dr. Schultz find bounties.*

But the rarest, and most powerful, is the friendship of virtue. The kind where two people challenge each other to grow. Where you're seen—not just for who you are, but for who you could become.

*Jujutsu Kaisen - Itadori (left) Todo (right); Itadori and Todo sincerely care for one another while at the same time they push one another to become not only better sorcerers but also better people.*

These friends hold you accountable, lift you up, and walk with you toward something better.

That tension cuts deep: we have endless ways to stay in touch—and still, real connection slips away. That’s why real friendship—the kind that Aristotle believed was the foundation of a good life—matters now more than ever.

In Ancient Greece, the gymnasion wasn’t just a training ground. It was where people came to debate, move, learn, and grow together.

We like to think our gatherings carry that same spirit. Surfboards, mats, crash pads—modern pillars for the same kind of connection. But the impulse is the same.

To show up.
To be seen.
To belong.

To become more than you were when you arrived.

At SANTO-FI, we honor all three friendships. Because every kind of friend has a place. Our gatherings aren’t about status or competition. They’re about building the kind of community where any of these friendships can take root—and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll find that rare one.

Importance of Friendship