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It is. Here is the "sting."
One of the things the article touches on but does not go into depth about is the changing nature of what it means for men to be "close friends." I'm not sure I would describe myself as having six "close friends" today, but that's due in part to a change in thinking of what it means to have close friends. Having no close friendships is, in my opinion, unhealthy. But it's not the quantity of friendships that matters, in my view, it's the quality. Online interactions, especially in gaming, may encourage behavior that works against forming close friendships.A survey published in 2021 by the Survey Centre on American Life, part of the American Enterprise Institute, a think-tank, found that friendship groups have shrunk in the past three decades. The decline has been particularly marked among men. In 1990, 55% of American men reported having at least six close friends; today only 27% do. The survey found that 15% of men have no close friendships at all, a fivefold increase since 1990.
Those who study male loneliness believe that a particularly American version of masculinity is in part to blame. Since 1990 Robert Garfield, a psychotherapist and author of “Breaking the Male Code”, has run “friendship labs”, men’s therapeutic groups, which have shown him that men crave emotional connection. But American boys, says Dr Garfield, who has also run such groups in Europe, are often taught that successful men exhibit particular traits—restraint, independence, competitiveness—at the expense of others.
As women’s and lgbt rights have advanced in recent decades, along with more emotional ways of connecting with others, “men are being asked to stretch themselves”, Dr Garfield says. Over time, this is likely to have a positive effect on the way men relate to each other, but at the moment, “males are in a fighting phase”.
Marc Schapiro, a 24-year-old English teacher from Maryland, agrees. He says he was taught male friendship is “stoic and lacking outward affection”. But now he sees a different portrayal of friendship on social media, particularly by women and lgbt people. He would love, he says, to be able to “show more affection and drop the constant snide comments and ribbing”, but he finds the disconnect between what he grew up believing about friendship and how he sees other people relating to each other unsettling. The “quasi-socialising” he and his friends do online, via games and various message boards, meets no real need, he adds.
From the article, at the paywall fade-out:Res Ipsa wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 2:42 pmOne of the things the article touches on but does not go into depth about is the changing nature of what it means for men to be "close friends." I'm not sure I would describe myself as having six "close friends" today, but that's due in part to a change in thinking of what it means to have close friends. Having no close friendships is, in my opinion, unhealthy. But it's not the quantity of friendships that matters, in my view, it's the quality. Online interactions, especially in gaming, may encourage behavior that works against forming close friendships.The “quasi-socialising” he and his friends do online, via games and various message boards, meets no real need, he adds.
DT, you mentioned in another thread about how some people see younger folks today as spending too much time with online gaming. Is there an intersection here between that opinion, and what this article is speaking about?More time spent online means less time building friendships.
The title says it's about American men, right? Not "Americans"?doubtingthomas wrote: ↑Tue Nov 01, 2022 8:05 pmAmericans have fewer friends than ever before.
https://www.economist.com/united-states ... -elsewhere
Why men are lonelier in America than elsewhere
Ah, I missed that.Marcus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 4:35 pmThe title says it's about American men, right? Not "Americans"?doubtingthomas wrote: ↑Tue Nov 01, 2022 8:05 pmAmericans have fewer friends than ever before.
https://www.economist.com/united-states ... -elsewhere
Title of article:Why men are lonelier in America than elsewhere
True, but can it also be the other way around? Having no friend might lead to more computer gaming. Similar to what this paper points out in the conclusion. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/1 ... 3121996854
Interesting.
Women are more likely to feel lonely.
Maybe. I'm not sure.
As usual, you are working backwards in how you misuse research.doubtingthomas wrote: ↑Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:52 pmTrue, but can it also be the other way around? Having no friend might lead to more computer gaming. Similar to what this paper points out in the conclusion. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/1 ... 3121996854
Then you missed his point.
DT, you've done this (spoken about "people" when your reference is "men") so many, many times without acknowledging people's coments about it that there are only two conclusions: