There is a loneliness epidemic, and it is affecting people from all ages. A recent study, conducted by the American Enterprise Institute, suggests that the proportion of people who can name six close friends has dropped from 55% to 27% since the 1990's and one in five single men say they do not have any close friends. According to the Guardian, while the pandemic has increased experiences of loneliness, people were struggling long before as a YouGov study carried out in 2019 suggested that 9 in 10 people between the age of 18-24 suffered from loneliness to some degree, and nearly half had difficulty making friends.
The challenges with making friends differ for men and women. The study entitled 'Gender Differences in Friendship Patterns' finds that women are more intimate and emotional in their same-sex friendships than men, women also tend to place a higher value on these friendships than men do. Women emphasized talking, emotional sharing, and discussing personal problems with their same-sex friends, and men showed an emphasis on sharing activities and doing things with their men friends. This is largely because men are socialized to not share their feelings. Being a man means going it alone. Results from this study suggest that men need to be socialized to express their emotions to form intimate and more beneficial same-sex friendships.
The friendship gender gap can have significant consequences as men face higher rates of isolation, loneliness, depression and even suicide. We all need connection in some way or another. On today's episode Adam Smiley Poswolsky author of Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, will join us to share how we can form meaningful friendships and create belonging at work and in life.
The Power of Pressure: How To Make Challenging Times Work For You - Dane Jensen
Beer and Sexism: The Untold Story - Katie Muggli
Creating Psychological Safety at Work - Minda Harts & Jon Hicks
How To Engage The Next Generation of ChangeMakers - Melissa Kilby
Publishing: The Devaluing of Difference - Rebekah Borucki
Roe Vs Wade: Kelly Thomson and Anna Cronin-Scott
The Authority Gap - Mary Ann Sieghart
Closing The Gender Gap in Innovation - Danielle Kayembe
Why It’s Time To Ditch Quotas: Dr Ted Sun
Meet the Two Women Behind 25 Years of The Daily Show
Dear White Friends : Melvin J. Gravely, II
Your Permission Slip: Managing Mental Health at Work - Melissa Doman
Diversity in Dance : Ingrid Silva
Women Don't Get The Same Feedback As Men And It’s Hurting Their Advancement - Dr. Laura Hamill
Overcoming White Feminism. How to be an Anti Racist Ally : Sophie Williams
Great minds don't all think alike: Rob Austin
Welcome To The Post Pandemic Workplace - Anna Meller
Heard of the Gender Pain Gap? - Dr Jen Peña
The Future of Leadership - Leah Weiss
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Dairyland Frights
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL