This trend is surprising. Why is it that despite supporting some of the greatest social freedoms anywhere, increasing numbers of people are isolated from each other?

By Ely Portillo
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Americans, who shocked pollsters in 1985 when they said they had only three close friends, today say they have just two. And the number who say they have no one to discuss important matters with has doubled to 1 in 4, according to a nationwide survey released today.

It found that men and women of every race, age and education level reported fewer intimate friends than the same survey turned up in 1985. Their remaining confidants were more likely to be members of their nuclear family than in 1985, according to the study, but intimacy within families was down, too. The findings are reported in the June issue of the American Sociological Review.

Weakening bonds of friendship, which other studies affirm, have far-reaching effects. Among them: fewer people to turn to for help in crises such as Hurricane Katrina, fewer watchdogs to deter neighborhood crime, fewer visitors for hospital patients and fewer participants in community groups. The decline, which was greatest in estimates of the number of friends outside the family, also puts added pressure on spouses, families and counselors.

source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003080031_lonely23.html

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

Don't worry, they are all on benzworld.

demographics, job changes and the internet are a few reasons i can think of. We have become so transitory due to the nature of technology and how fast it changes in the job place. Used to be you got a job and worked there close to your whole life and its not like that anymore. You made friends at work and in your surrounding community which now is ever changing. I am lucky to say I have been at the same job in the same place for 16 years and oh how the technology has changed it. On a brighter note I can say I am still in touch with people I worked with 30 years ago and have more than two friends...

Our mobile society may be one reason. I live 3,000 miles away from where I grew up and that's not the slightest bit out of the oridinary. In fact, my hometown is now so pricey that there is no way I could live there even if I wanted to.

I've moved around a few times and I'm terrible at keeping in touch with people, even the ones I was close to. I think a lot of people are bad at keeping in touch; after all, they're not any better about calling me.

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

Ralph, I'll call you what's your number?

My adopted father is old school. He has recently bought a car from another dealership which was a big thing for him. You see, years ago, he argued that someone didn't get so good service because they bought their car via internet purchase and so the service manager was not so accomodating. He always bought his cars from Dealer X. Reason was that in the past, they had a salesman there that sold only trucks and knew them inside out. Dealing with one dealership meant you got to know the people there and hence better service. Well, as someone mentioned, today people are more mobile. You buy a car from X but you live somewhere else. You are not going back there for service. Also, the guy who sold GM trucks today might be selling Ford cars tomorrow somewhere else.

What all this means is that things change, people move and life becomes more hetic. Also we move around a little mroe than we used to. Guy goes to school and comes back to hometown and works there isn't always true anymore. Friends that I had in kollege have moved on, interests change, etc, etc. When we were in skool, we were single and lived to party. Today we have moved away, got married, have kids, etc, etc. It is much easier when we all lived in a county to get to know people. Today, we move mroe and people we knew move on with their lives.

I guess that is going to be par for the course.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

Lack of focus.

Blame it on television with its advertising every 5 minutes - it makes you re-focus your attention several times during just one half hour.
Besides the fact that it is much easier to sit and watch the tube, than it is to actually walk outside and meet your neighbor (provided you are not still in your underwear smoking a stogie).

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Hey now. What is wrong with being in my underwear smoking a stogie? Unless it is the Clinton sorta stogie, I don't think it is that bad. My neighbour has a bikini top when she is gardening in the summer. It makes me want to go talk to her.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Part of me believes that people will only get to a certain point of loneliness, and then they will break (back) out into the world and do things, with others, for others, whatever - I see too many old people volunteering at churches and comminuties to think that our society is doomed to work more and more in isolation.
You could ague that kids work more in isolation that they used to, and I'd agree, but the kids that give a damn learn quickly that you can't do it all by yourself...

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

That may be. However, do those old people have anything else to do in their lives? Their useful life as far as work goes is over. Maybe they are doing the only thing they can to keep themselves occupied.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I can relate. My best friend of 8 years recently got married in December. I have only talked to him on the phone about 3 times since then. We live about 4 miles apart. My girlfriend of 4 years and I split up about a year ago, but since we were close friends for quite a while first, we remain close, sometimes being more than friends even though she is seeing someone else. I know the best thing for my heart would be to sever all ties with her (she broke up with me because of some immaturity on my part. She acknowledges that I have learned from my mistakes and have changed) My family and I are close, but there are just some things you don't want to talk about with your folks.....I know a lot of people and have other friends, but are not as close to them. Just sharing my experience, thanks.