I don’t know how it’s possible that I just discovered Lifeboat, a “movement of people rediscovering friendships,” but apparently I’m off my game. The site, which posts the latest news, advice and science of friendship, released their State of Friendship in America report last year, and the findings are fascinating. (Random tidbits: Married people are 18% more likely to donate a kidney to a friend; city folk put more emphasis on attractive friends; liberals are less satisfied with friendships than conservatives.) Check out their key findings below.
And if you’re curious how I dealt with my own friendship crisis, have I got the book for you.
Seventy-five percent of Americans aren’t happy with their friendships? That’s depressing. Do you see yourself in these stats? Find them surprising? Sound off below!
MWF Seeking BFF 
Fascinating! My book club is reading your book this month, so these stats are really interesting to read in light of what I’ve read in your book. I love that Facebook doesn’t matter. 🙂
What a sad perspective. I love and enjoy my friends.
Very interesting/scary. I just saw this and thought of this post: http://m.mobiledia.com/news/189649.html
I have found it hard to make friends as I get older , especially since I do not work outside the home . We moved 12 years ago in our very early 40s to a new state and out of the three friends I made, two have passed away and the other seems to be going through mid life crissis and we have nothing in common anymore as she has turned into a party girl, bars and pool playing and drinking, and at 53 and happily married for 32 years , that is not my priority at all .I now find myself without any real friends I can hang out with at all. I have tried giving my number on my business card to people I meet who I really enjoyed talking to, and wanted to pursue looking into a friend ship with, but never get a number in return or a call. I think most people at my age have all the friends they want and are not looking. I have a wonderful hubby , kids and grandkids , and many friends I talk to on the phone,emails or text, out of state, that are people I have been close to for many years , and some for decades, but finding new friends locally seems to be so hard.
I am a friendly person, the friends I do have seem to enjoy my company and we talk hours on the phone. I easily talk to strangers in line and enjoy being with people. This has been pretty hard for me.
I read your book and loved it, but have not had good luck trying to do the same thing here , maybe it is my age, 53, being out of the work force my entire adult like, raising kids, and working at home and l iving in a small town.
I wish there was a solution. But so far, I have not found one !!!
Wow! I hadn’t heard of Lifeboat either, and I thought that I had at least heard about most friendship blogs! Thanks for the heads up. Looks like they’re doing fascinating research.
Reblogged this on Going From Here and commented:
Interesting!