Gen Z are lonely and paying for activities to make friends

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Open door, walk outside, do things, talk to people. That's it. It's pretty simple but you have to make an effort.

That’s ridiculous. Friendships form over long time spent together usually in an unstructured way (in college hanging with roommates, as parents hanging out watching kids soccer together, hanging out at a bar after work, etc).

Walking up and talking to people won’t build friendships but make you the weird guy. Sure I’m very friendly with neighbors and ask about their day, but we won’t be friends with such limited brief interactions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's what the "greatest generation" did as well OP, they liked to join clubs and organizations. It's fine.

+1

My MIL would have zero friends, without her clubs and organizations, most of whom are through FIL - it is not only Generation Z that does this, OP.

are these fee based clubs? Because that's what the article is talking about - that people are paying to socialize.

Almost every club has dues or expenses. Maybe a running club doesn't, but anything that needs space or equipment, or holds an awards dinner, takes money to function. You are trying to imply the members are buying friends somehow, but that's like saying that going out to dinner with friends (which costs money!) is buying friends.

I think the distinction is in old days they were clubs and had membership dues, but this new version are profit seeking companies organizing things. I agree it feels a little unsavory, but I think it’s not too diff