The Great Friendship Recession

Friends are disappearing from our lives and social circles are shrinking. We must leave phubbing aside and instead invest in friendships to stay healthy

- SHUTAPA PAUL

Have you noticed how "friendship" has lost its sheen? No more are we surrounded by "mujhsey dosti karogi?" (will you be my friend?) or "love is friendship" spiel. But there was a time, not so long ago, when movies, brand advertisements, songs, and Archies cards screamed from all corners about the importance of friendship. Were you even really pals without exchanging braided friendship bands or buying into the consumerism of "Friendship Day" in August? These years, the day comes and goes with a whimper. Which makes me think, in today's world, is friendship passé? Modern relationships are rapidly evolving, and so is friendship. Covid-19 brought on resilience for some and ferocious socializing for others. But for many, it made them comfortable in their lonesomeness. Not loneliness, mind you, lonesomeness. The latter is voluntary—a chosen state of being, rather than the isolation forced upon by loneliness. Several thinkers have also recently opined on the increasingly transient importance of friendship. As per the recently released, "The Friendship Recession" by Rediffusion's Red Lab, social connections are fast declining across cultures, age groups, and geographies. In the US, for instance, almost 12 percent of adults report having no friends at all; this is four times the jump since 1990. The average time spent with friends dropped from 6.5 hours a week between 2003-2014 to 2.75 hours by 2021. Indians have larger friend circles but in tier 1 cities, about 60 percent people feel lonely. According to the report, which seems to have referenced the 'American Perspectives Survey (2021)' by the Survey Centre on American Life, male friendships are collapsing faster. In 1990, at least 55 percent