Joining an asylum is different from adding it to your friends list. When you join, you will have posting access to it. You will also have viewing access of its friends only (or members only) entries. Listing an asylum on your friends list will only allow you to watch the public entries posted on your friends page. You can join an asylum without watching it on your friends page, or you can watch an asylum without joining it (however, you will not be able to see its members only entries).