Men's Friendships

Men got hit hardest by the friendship recession, and most of them won't say a word about it. I see it at every party I host. Men show up alone, stand near the wall, and wait for someone else to start the conversation.

The numbers are stark. The share of men with no close friends has jumped fivefold since 1990. You can see the full breakdown in the data behind the male friendship crisis.

The more interesting question is why. Men used to write each other love letters. They shared beds on long trips and called each other their dearest friends. Something changed, and it wasn't the men themselves.

This is where I collect the research, the history, and the stories about male friendship. I also write about what works. Most of it comes down to one thing. Men bond shoulder to shoulder, doing something, rather than face to face talking about feelings.

If you're a guy reading this and feeling behind, you're not. Start with why men need more friends, then keep going.