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I Love You, Man: The male friendship recession (Rebroadcast)

From left to right, David Schwimmer, as Ross, Matt LeBlanc, as Joey, and Matthew Perry as Chandler act in a scene from the television comedy "Friends" during the seventh season of the show.
From left to right, David Schwimmer, as Ross, Matt LeBlanc, as Joey, and Matthew Perry as Chandler act in a scene from the television comedy "Friends" during the seventh season of the show.

Friendships are one of the few relationships that we choose. They can last longer than our romantic relationships and be just as intimate. They can take on the role of family if our own falls short. 

Having friends is an important part of the human experience. But over the past few years, adult friendship has been on the decline. And men are suffering the most from it

According to the Survey Center on American Life, the percentage of men with at least six close friends has fallen by half since 1990. One in five single men says he has zero close friends. 

Why are men struggling to make and maintain friendships more than ever? And what can they—and the people who care about them—do to change this? We speak to two psychologists who specialize in friendships and men. We also hear from two guys who’ve been best friends for 30 years about their podcast on male friendship and how they keep the love alive.

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Haili Blassingame