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AnonTechie [soylentnews.org] writes:

An interesting article about the decline in friendships.

The so-called “Friendship Recession” is making its way into the vernacular—a profound shift in how Americans experience and sustain friendships. The data paints a stark picture. According to the American Perspectives Survey [americansurveycenter.org], the percentage of U.S. adults who report having no close friends has quadrupled to 12% since 1990, while the percentage of those with ten or more close friends has fallen by nearly threefold. The foundations of the crisis were laid long before lockdowns. For decades, Americans consistently spent about 6.5 hours a week with friends. Then, between 2014 and 2019, that number plummeted to just four hours per week.

To be sure, systemic forces underlie this shift. Suburban sprawl has physically distanced us from one another. The government slowed down its investment in and construction of third spaces—such as community centers, parks, and coffee shops—which has left fewer places for organic social interactions. The rise of the gig economy and economic pressures have made free time a luxury. These factors have made friendship more difficult, and policymakers, urban planners, and venture capitalists are searching for solutions.

However, these structural forces alone can't fully account for the larger shift. If inaccessibility were the primary driver, we wouldn’t see relatively stable connection rates among older adults over the last several decades. If wealthier individuals have more access to communal spaces, why has solo dining increased by 29% in the past two years? If this were purely circumstantial, why would Stanford now offer Design for Healthy Friendships—a class dedicated to helping students structure their social lives with intention?

[...] While these prescriptions might sound easy, the reality is that culture change is hard, and its effects aren’t seen overnight. It would be easier to scapegoat external forces, build yet another friend-finding app, and call it a day. While broader policy changes and social infrastructure certainly are needed and will help, we also must recognize that change starts with us. The small, daily choices we make—to reach out, to show up, to invest in relationships—add up to and actively shape the culture we live in. Imagine what could happen if we’re better, together.

[Source]: Harvard Kennedy School [harvard.edu]

What has been your experience in this regard ?

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