Bob

"Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, separated by work, commuting and the single life, researchers reported on Friday.

Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had "zero" close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants, most often immediate family members, the researchers said.

"This is a big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society," said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith-Lovin, lead author on the study to be published in the American Sociological Review. ..."

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsar...DS.xml&src=rss

Quite an interesting article...so what do you think of it? What are your experiences with close friends over here? Think it's a regional or work thing?

Lord Lionheart

I'm not surprised. It's all about ME over here. Once you have outlived your usefulness or business networking possibilities, it's Buh-bye from most Yanks. Just watch the so-called friends gradually fade away. Social Darwinism at it's best

Partystar

I have never found it hard to make friends in England, but I have found it difficult to make good friends here.

Elvira

(sigh)

More acquaintances than I know what to do with............ but friends?

Well, there's Leslie...

Actually the only friends I have here are aliens!

gruffbrown

Billy no mates me, lot's of acquaintances over here. The Widows Friends are really nice, but all in Chicago. It's just not the same as England for some reason, I can call a mate and pick up a conversation as if I never left.

Partystar

Yep, more acquaintances than real friends for me too. Fake friends, if you will.

Elvira

I have had more meaningful conversations with old biddies I met at the Number 14 bus stop than I've had with most people here...

Partystar

Yep, sometimes they ask me when I'll be popping round for a cuppa.

Lord Lionheart

90% of conversations I have with people I first meet, (business, dinner, a bar, golf course, on the bus etc. etc.) go like this:

Are you Australian/Irish/English?
Just visiting or do you live here?
How long have you been here?
Do you like it?
What made you move here?

After these questions the person usually runs out of things to say and turns away unless I engage them in additional conversation...................................... .......

gruffbrown

I don't know if it's an American trait, but there's always this underlying "What can you do for me" thing going on, or that's my perception anyway. The people whose house I'm working on at the moment, asked me if my wife and I would like to come over for dinner when their house is finished. And I know it's to discuss business and not just to chill out, kick back and talk about Monty Python.

Partystar

Yep, pretty much the same here, except throw in quite a few, 'I love your accent', 'My, what big tits you have' & 'Are you happily married?'!

dan_alford

What sort of Aliens? Legal, Illegal or extra terrestrial?

TouristTrap

Yeah, it is pretty dire. Like I've said a million times before, I've some really good salt-of-the-earth types, but it has taken quite a few years to cultivate. I can pop into their homes and vice versa without a prob, but, there are some subjects which are off limits - learn to live around that and you'll do okay.

My 'skinnering' (gossiping) I reserve for when I'm on the phone to my IRL friends back home or my mom

geordiegirl2

I've got a few good friends here but by their own admission they're very un American, but truly my real friends, the ones who've been there through every drama i've had and still are are on the other side of the Atlantic.

Sarah

Well you can't blame them for that one Liz, its the first thing I said when I saw your piccy, one of your tits is bigger than my head.