I can't finid the NYT article, but here is a wiki page which summarizes the study
According to a study June 2006 issue of the journal American Sociological Review, The study states 25% of Americans have no close confidants, and the average total number of confidants per citizen has dropped from four to two.
2-4 is an average, so like i said prior, 25pc have 0 friends, 25pc have 1 friend.
I post this to give AS people hope and keep life in perspective. As AS are about 1pc of pop'n or so, and NT's are the rest, then even NT do not have many friends, if any. As 50pc of the entire globe have one or less.
and would you consider 2 as being high as an average ?
some ppl think others have tens or hundreds of friends, this can't be true if the overall average is a low 2-4.
i feel that socially awkward ppl see parties and groups talking and mistake that for friends in a friendship relationship, which it is not.
John or jane yacking loud at an office party based on stats may have 0,1,2 friends. likely 0 as they are belligerent. they cover their loneliness with being loud and intrusive.
but i think some AS may mistake this as being socially adept,
NT's do not have the constraints which AS ppl deal with regarding social issues, so if you feel lonely just remember that NTs are actually more lonely then AS ppl
I found that from reading books with silly titles like "how to make friends", how to look approachable to conversation, social etiquette, etc that I was able to train myself to be more social. i even studied dvd's on how to engage in social interaction, after awhile i was fascinated at learning this game NT's play, after awhile you do learn to understand that it is a game . i was chatting with a lady at work and i was practising engaged listening, where you show interest, i barely said a word but she talked to me for 30 minutes. then she thanked me for the conversation, when she was the one who talked. NT's like to talk to ppl who appear interested. So now if i feel lonely i will practice engaged listening and not feel as lonely.
it is not a friend relationship, but it is social interaction which makes me feel better and the lonely NT feels better as well who you let yack on about whatever. NT's play this game so what is wrong with AS going along with it
AS ppl are able to focus like a laser on topics they find interesting, if you cherish friendship then do some studying and/or even training.
hope this keeps the discussion going or helps someone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship ... in_the_U.S.
02 Aug 2011, 7:11 am
So no friends.. That is sad.. Oh boy :'( Im a sad person..!
