Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

US friendship is in freefall — shredding bonds and cutting lives short
New York Post ^ | Feb. 24, 2025 | Karol Markowicz

Posted on 02/25/2025 1:03:11 AM PST by george76

The loss of friendship is measurable, and can be seen in every age group and demographic -- although working-class Americans look to be hardest hit..

Friendship in America is in steep decline: We’re more disconnected from each other than ever, and the gulf between us is only growing. Does it matter?

It does. We know that friendships are good for us.

People with stronger social interactions live longer than those without, according to a study published last week in the UK’s Nature Medicine journal. Living with a partner, for example, is as good for physical health as regular exercise, researchers found, and having non-related friends to confide in also extends lifespan.

Loneliness is a silent killer. A US surgeon general’s report from 2023 found it as dangerous as smoking, “associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death” — while upward of 60% of Americans feel lonely on a regular basis, surveys have found.

Along with the impact on personal well-being, the trend is dangerous for America itself. A nation that lacks interpersonal relationships is a lower-trust society, more prone to crime and unrest.

The loss of friendship is measurable, and can be seen in every age group and demographic — although working-class Americans look to be hardest hit.

In 1990, few of us reported having no close friends at all: just 2% of the college-educated and 3% of high school-only graduates. By 2024, however, according to the Survey Center for American Life, that number grew to 10% for those with a college degree and a whopping 26% for those without.

In 1990, 49% of high school grads reported having at least six close friends; now it’s just 17%. Americans with college degrees experienced a similar but less steep drop.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: anxiety; cardiovascular; companions; culture; dementia; depression; friends; friendship; heart; heartdisease; isoronery; lonely; lonliness; smoking; sociallife; society; stroke
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-76 next last

1 posted on 02/25/2025 1:03:11 AM PST by george76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: george76
What are the causes? I've heard suggested...

* Social media. People spend more time online pursing fake "Friends" they'll never meet. Less time in real world clubs and social events.

* Diversity. People are more likely to bond, and feel trust, with those of the same race, ethnicity, and religion. Diverse societies are less cohesive.

2 posted on 02/25/2025 1:21:30 AM PST by Angelino97
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

The Left has actively spurred divisions between us that make friendships more difficult.


3 posted on 02/25/2025 1:21:35 AM PST by Rockingham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

I developed my friendships through work, the military , living next door to someone, childhood, and over an interaction at a hardware store or jobsite daily. You don’t knock my wife, my dog, or my truck. Then we can pretty much be friends. If you can play 5 card stud and talk 💩 doing it. We can go fishing and hunting together. The rest of it don’t mean nuthin. That’s it, May seem redneck cause it is. We all got red necks. Blacks blush, Asians, Latinos, hell we all are human, this crap the idiots in the power position in the world try to sell is horse💩. Smartin up folks we’re in this together till it ends. Right wrong or indeferent. ISWIS. Bless y’all Regards


4 posted on 02/25/2025 1:38:09 AM PST by Equine1952
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

One of my buds and I went to kindergarten together. Way back before the turn of the century.


5 posted on 02/25/2025 2:06:47 AM PST by ComputerGuy ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComputerGuy

My best friend to this day was born a day before I was. His Mom and mine shared the same semi private hospital room when we were born. And we ended up best friends.


6 posted on 02/25/2025 2:13:15 AM PST by desertsolitaire ( Lee Harvey Oswald and the Bands final performance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ComputerGuy

I am the outlier.

Women are supposed to have strong social networks and be very social. I am not.

I have work friends and lots of associates.

I have some friends from childhood. We speak once every year or so.

My husband and sister are my best friends.

I prefer my time alone and strive for peace.


7 posted on 02/25/2025 2:19:34 AM PST by TheWriterTX (🇺🇸✝️🙏🇮🇱)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: TheWriterTX

Most of the time, I’m the only person I can stand.


8 posted on 02/25/2025 2:22:12 AM PST by ComputerGuy ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: george76

I still have connections with many of my grade school friends.


9 posted on 02/25/2025 2:51:11 AM PST by jonrick46 (Leftniks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Angelino97

Social media and extreme diversity - you nailed it.

I have maintained for years that social media is a crutch for people with self confidence issues. Not everyone of course but for many who were never taught to deal with modern life.


10 posted on 02/25/2025 2:58:34 AM PST by ByteMercenary (Election 2020 was theft by mail.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TheWriterTX

Ain’t no problem with that. A real friend is hard to come by. Yeah ya got friends but ya can’t spend a lot of Time with them. You want peaceful time to relax and think. A dog, cat, horse, hell a parakeet, just something to listen and be there to let you relax, reflect on life and your blessings from god. I get really peaceful and retrospective on a hot Missouri nite relaxing around the house with a little drizzle and the freight trains squalling on the Missouri River bottoms. If my wife is there that’s great but enjoying the night and GOD blessings is swell.


11 posted on 02/25/2025 3:00:51 AM PST by Equine1952
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: george76

I’ve said this since the Gov psych op code named Covid was pushed on us to shut things down. People are basically pack animals and need to be around others in their pack. All intentional.


12 posted on 02/25/2025 3:06:42 AM PST by GrumpyOldGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Angelino97

We used to rely on people much more because we had to. Modern conveniences make solitude easier. Walk by people nowadays and they’ll usually not look up from their phones. If you can’t remember the 60s, you probably can’t remember your whole neighborhood sitting out on their porches being friends on a hot summer evening.


13 posted on 02/25/2025 3:20:57 AM PST by hardspunned (Look for the“Putin Stooge” libel, news from Ukraine you’ve gradually grown to trust over 30 months s)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TheWriterTX

That pretty much sums it up for me as well.


14 posted on 02/25/2025 3:22:26 AM PST by sneakers (It's not the democraTIC party! It's the demoCRAT party! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Angelino97

Obama’s revolution. Communism.


15 posted on 02/25/2025 3:27:56 AM PST by Vision (“Our Democracy” means "Our Slush Fund.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: george76

Just based on the headline, I thought this article was going to be about Trump and Europe.


16 posted on 02/25/2025 3:28:30 AM PST by I-ambush (From the brightest star comes the blackest hole. You had so much to offer, why didya offer your sou?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

I’m losing too many friends to death.
This week, a 68 year old who had a heart attack.
Treasures that cannot be replaced.
They don’t make any new old friends.


17 posted on 02/25/2025 3:28:47 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (🦅 MAGADONIAN ⚔️ LIFE )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Angelino97

Political correctness. When I was in AA many decades ago I could arrive at a meeting and strongly hug every man and woman in the room.

Used to be you could lift a stranger’s child up onto a swing or slide right there with your own. That stopped too, any touch of any kind could result in accusation.

Our work places became devoid of flirtation or innocent fun for even a few seconds here and there as onerous HR departments spread their poisons.

We just stick to family, and as an old guy, that wasn’t how I grew up.


18 posted on 02/25/2025 3:34:35 AM PST by Luke21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: george76

My friends keep dying on me!
One of the “features” of getting old.
But there are churches, and organizations, where new friends can be found.


19 posted on 02/25/2025 3:41:23 AM PST by AZJeep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

I have a very small close circle of friends all ex military. I can count on them a day anytime and vice versa. That’s by design.

Anyone else I try to tolerate, if I don’t they know it.


20 posted on 02/25/2025 3:54:14 AM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-76 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson