The Friendship Paradox
www.theatlantic.com
We all want more time with our friends, but we’re spending more time alone.

Paywall removed: https://archive.is/eT19u

Americans are afflicted by an “epidemic of loneliness,” according to the surgeon general and dozens of researchers. The phrase conjures a nation of friendless hermits who have no one to invite to their birthday parties. But according to a pair of new surveys, American loneliness is more complex than that. The typical American, it seems, texts a bunch of people “we should get together!” before watching TikTok alone on the couch and then passing out. That is, Americans have friends. We just never really see them.

  • Blackout@fedia.io
    21·
    11 days ago

    Damn, missed the day they were handing them out again. Think you have enough friends, just move to the Midwest where everyone will be pleasant but no one will have the time to do anything.

  • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
    151·
    12 days ago

    I did something stupid and my friend group was also my polycule. So when the polycule blew up I got left with nobody to talk with in a meaningful way and am basically trying to rebuild my entire social circle from scratch. Seattle is particularly difficult I swear everyone here is in a competition to see who can ignore the most people. I’m probably leaving the country in a year or so and apparently where I’m going is known for being difficult to make friends. Way I see it is I can’t seem to make any here anyway so I might as well feel out of place somewhere with healthcare than out of place in whatever fucking mess is going on here

    • Sabata@ani.social
      5·
      11 days ago

      Easy, just use Ai. It’s like having friends but you don’t have to feed them or let them out.

  • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    10·
    11 days ago

    This is pretty accurate for me. I’ve got plenty of friends. But no time to get out. I barely have time for my self. I’m only able to type this message because I’m irresponsibly still awake at 6:30am jesus christ I really should go to bed!

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    3·
    10 days ago

    I wouldn’t mind another friend or two, but I’m doing pretty well with the handful of high quality friends I’ve got. Feeling lucky, even.

  • Donebrach@lemmy.world
    2·
    10 days ago

    Top medial professional of the country issues statement but opinion in magazine has the real answer.