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The Connection Economy Responds To The Loneliness Epidemic
Sick with loneliness
Society is in the midst of a friendship recession, with many Americans reporting feelings of loneliness. In response, new friendship-making tools, classes, and bootcamps are teaching people how to make friends again.
Why This Hits: For 1 in 10 American adults, loneliness is a “chronic state of mind,” according to a 2025 Social Connection in America report. As a result, companies and individuals are entering into the “connection economy.”
In the ’90s, 3% of American men and 2% of women said they had no close friends. By 2021, those figures had risen to 15% for men and 10% for women, according to the Survey Center on American Life.
Programs like the Platonic Action Lab (PAL), a “bootcamp for developing your skills and making and deepening friendships,” are popping up around the country.
Self-help books on loneliness and friendship are also gaining popularity. The Art of Gathering, a book by Priya Parker on how to invite and host people, has sold over half a million copies.
Other companies and websites are also getting in on the action. Unshyness.com offers weekly in-person classes designed to help people become more extroverted.
Closing Connections: Loneliness isn’t always about a lack of people. It’s often about a lack of places that make connection feel natural, especially as more people work from home. That’s why classes, clubs, and social events continue to resonate. They don’t just create community — they create an excuse to start a conversation, encouraging participants to step outside their comfort zones and make friends.
The Future of Friendship: Investors may be chasing AI companions today, but the next unicorn could be the company that simply helps strangers become friends. As demand for real-world connection grows, don’t be surprised if investors start chasing those companies instead.
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Today’s email was written by Deena ElGenaidi and Kait Cunniff.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.