American friendships have halved since the smartphone era
Since 2011, the average American's circle of confidants has shrunk by half, creating a social deficit that has caused the nation's happiness ranking to plummet.
The number of close friends the average American can rely on has dropped from three to just 1.5 since the smartphone became a constant companion in 2011. This shift has triggered a 'loneliness recession' that hit young adults under thirty the hardest, with their reported life satisfaction dropping 24% faster than that of seniors. While the U.S. economy grew by 40% during this period, the nation fell from 11th to 23rd in global happiness rankings, proving that wealth cannot compensate for a lack of human connection.
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