No Friends?
  • The occurrence of a “friendship recession” appears to have been a trend over the past three decades, where men have been observed to be more affected than women due to their differing socialization methods.
  • Men typically bond over coincidental activities such as playing sports, working together or having common business interests, whereas women bond over the socializing process itself.
  • Reports suggest that one in five men in the United States have no close friends or even no friends at all.
  • The underlying cause of this “friendship recession” appears to be the atomization of society, with communities disintegrating and communal activities such as going to church or local sports teams becoming less frequent.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this problem, as it has prevented people from participating in activities which could have facilitated the formation of friendships.
  • The consequences of this “friendship recession” are isolation, mental health issues and self-destructive activities.
  • This also has caused an intense focus on the romantic aspect of life, prompting some to neglect their social lives and idolize the opposite sex.