In this piece for The Times, Josh Glancy reflects on the difficulty that many men experience in forming meaningful friendships, finding community, and building emotional connection in our contemporary society.
“More than anything, that is what’s missing here — friendship. Not the kind of friends who invite you to parties or make useful business introductions, but the kind of friends who will help you inspect the contents of your soul, willingly and without judgment.
How does one find such friends? One guy talked about joining a martial arts class. I’ve tried seven-a-side football. But these links are too weak, too ephemeral, which is why some men end up telling their problems to perfect strangers.
There is much talk of a loneliness epidemic. Britain even has a minister for it. Vivek Murthy, America’s former surgeon general, says that social isolation reduces lifespan by a similar amount as smoking 15 cigarettes a day — worse than obesity.”
