I'm glad you wrote this! This has given me some real insight into why there would be a loneliness epidemic, (rather than the angry ranting from some men we usually get). This was thoughtful and interesting, and a little heartbreaking.

And I agree. It's harder for men to make friends with each other. There's nothing in your lives that incentivizes you to develop the skill! I've observed that women can strike up a friendship with a stranger in a heartbeat, and I think it's because we spend our whole lives doing just that and society has not encouraged us to stop! In fact, as a middle aged woman it's very easy for me to begin conversations with other middle aged women and then make play dates to hang out.

I consider myself pretty progressive and even I felt a little awkward for you, about asking another man out on, what appears on the surface, to look like a "date". But I want to encourage you to keep trying, because I've also observed some wholesome, platonic male friendships in my life too, and I really hope you find one.