The 3 types of friendships and why you need them all These are the three types of friendships, according to Aristotle, that appeared in Brooks' article titled " The Best Friends Can Do Nothing for You " which he shared in the Harvard happiness course: Utility friendships: "Think about the relationships you have with people with whom you work, or with whom you do business. These relationships tend to be transactional in nature," wrote Brooks. Friendships based on pleasure: "This type of relationship is based on mutual admiration because each person draws pleasure from the other. If a person finds their friend funny, interesting, and a source of enjoyment, it is likely a friendship of pleasure," Brooks wrote in his article. "Perfect" friendships: "By Aristotle's standards, perfect friendships are those between people who have a mutual love for something that not only brings them together, but elevates their behavior to virtue. A r...