In the regime of the city

‘If a man were to under- take a systematic enquiry to find out what is most destructive of friendship and most productive of enmity, he would find it in the regime of the city.’
~ Philodemus of Gadara

Wider ‘networks’ of friends and friendship

While unable to put our suspicions to rest and stop sniffing out treachery and fearing frustration, we seek – compulsively and passionately – wider ‘networks’ of friends and friendship; indeed, as wide a ‘network’ as we can manage to squeeze into the mobile phone directory that, obligingly, grows more capacious with every new generation of mobiles.
~ Zygmunt Bauman - Liquid Fear