Wellness

The Male Friendship Equation: Stories, Interviews and Advice During an “Epidemic of Loneliness”

American men are in the midst of a friendship crisis, so we're turning our attention to these all-important platonic relationships

Male Friendship Equation

Friends are essential to a well-lived life. A recent survey found that Americans value close friends more than having children or even getting married. Yet the U.S. is experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness,” as declared by the surgeon general, with men finding themselves particularly adrift. How did we get here, to a place where 15% of men say they have no close friends? And more importantly, how do we solve it? In our series The Male Friendship Equation, we’re looking at the phenomenon from all angles: friends that defy the odds, advice for those without a group chat to their name, and stories that explore the peculiarities of these all-important platonic relationships.

There’s no simple solution, but we need to start the conversation. Pull up a chair.

An illustration of a group of men. We look at the state of male friendships and what some are calling the "male friendship recession."

The Male Friendship Equation: Meeting a Loneliness Crisis Head-On

Two guy friends, one sitting playing guitar and the other on piano. Here's the friendship advice from my dad and his bandmate of nearly 50 years.

Friendship Advice From My Dad and His Best Pal of 50 Years

An illustration of a man spinning a wheel with six different types of masculinity, including alpha male, feminist and white knight.

Good Luck Deciphering the “Very Mixed Messages” of Masculinity

Do Friendship Apps Work? One Man Swiped to Find Out.

Chuck and Buck

Why “Chuck and Buck” Is the Most Underrated Movie About Male Friendship

An illustration of Boston Bruins goalies Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark doing their trademark post-game hug

The Man Hug That Could Go Down in Hockey History

An illustration of two men who used to be friends, facing apart. Today we look at how to recover and repair a lost friendship.

How to Recover a Friendship You Lost

Two men engaging in side-by-side interactions. Have you every noticed men prefer them over face-to-face hangouts?

We’re Men. Of Course We Don’t Look Each Other in the Eye.

An illustration of a man laying on a couch thinking about a podcaster

What If Your Best Friends Are Podcasters You’ve Never Met?

An illustration of one man handing a birthday gift to another. We take a look at the art of gift-giving among adult men, and how they can do better.

Why Don’t Men Give Each Other Birthday Gifts?

Two men, one a Republican and one a Democrat, sitting at a coffee shop in an illustration. We spoke with two men, one a Trump voter and one a Biden voter, about how they became friends despite political differences.

One’s a Conservative, One’s a Liberal. Here’s Their Secret to Friendship.

The hand of a Gen X man holding a domino and a Gen Z man holding a smartphone. We take a look at an intergenerational friendship and see how they bridge the widening generational gap.

Can Different Generations Truly Be Friends?

An illustration of four people in a bar with beer

After Failing to Make Friends, He Created a Real-Life “Cheers”

An illustration of three young men after a soccer match next to the words "I Love You." We discuss the difficulty straight men still have expressing their love for their male friends.

Three Words Straight Guys Still Can’t Say to Each Other

An illustration of two tennis players fist-bumping. We discuss why tennis friends are so great for your longevity.

The Mighty Fellowship of Tennis Partners

Three women and one man talking at a bar, illustrated.

Why Some Men Prefer the Friendship of Women