It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

The remark celebrates the peculiar ease that comes with long-standing friendship. With “old friends,” one need not perform intelligence, wit, or social polish; the relationship is secured by shared history and mutual knowledge. “Afford to be stupid” points to the freedom to be unguarded—tired, silly, inarticulate, or wrong—without fear of losing esteem. Implicitly, Emerson contrasts such durable bonds with newer or more transactional acquaintanceships, where self-presentation matters more. The quote’s significance lies in its endorsement of intimacy as a space of psychological safety: friendship at its best suspends judgment and allows the self to relax into authenticity.