on the nature of friendship

Friendship is an interesting thing - a phenomena if you will.
If we believe the arguments from philosophers such as Hobbes or Freud, we are naturally at odds with one another, due to our individual interest in happiness that can and will come into conflict with others' interests.
Where, in this conflictual nature, is room for friends?
I would like to offer a parallel between politics and friendship that allows for the co-possibility of individual interests and the instance of cooperation.
Politics is the system that brings together the individuals, it takes away some natural freedom for the enjoyment of securing those pleasures we seek. In exchange for the securing of our pleasures we are forced to live among some rules created by institutions. These institutions change what we are afforded, what we can seek and be interested in, and essentially who we actually are. We are informed by the very restrictions on who we naturally want to be: self appropriating egoists.
Why is friendship like politics then?
Friendship also allows for the co-possibility of individualism and cooperation. Friendships inform you of who you are and what you are like. They enforce a type of institution that creates borders around the possibility of your self-identity. You lose your freedom of expression for the security of avoiding conflicts with others. It is safe to say that friendships much like politics enforce a self-realization, and form who we are.
It is important, therefore, to seek out friendships that encourage quality rather than quantity. You risk conflict in a larger group as your individuality is at a greater risk to clash with another individual. Furthermore, it is important that you ensure the stability of your friendships at all costs. Losing your friendships has the biggest impact on who you are as a social being. So it is important to maintain friendships to the best of your ability. When friendships are based on quality, there is a certain elasticity of the creation of yourself, and allows for your excellence as an individual to expand, just as the quality of a political system would allow for the influence of the creation of a person in the state.
Friendship is as important as the world you live in, so secure it as best you can.