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I'd guess it has to do with a few things that are not at all related to the recession... 1) Globalization - the lessons learned and processes formed from globa

I'd guess it has to do with a few things that are not at all related to the recession... 1) Globalization - the lessons learned and processes formed from globalization have in a sense come back to be applied domestically. Increasingly dominant corporations usually have numerous satellite offices to be able to tap the talent and resources throughout the country. For example if you are a Finance guy and you want to work for Google that doesn't mean you have to be working in the Mountain View office (I'd assume). Just about every city has a pretty diverse set of employment opportunities. 2) Increasingly Artificial Relationships - This one is very debatable but for a number of reasons (culture, technology, etc.) Id say that establishing light bonds with lots of people is incredibly easy these days but establishing a strong support network of friends is increasingly hard. I'd guess that due to this people will increasingly be incentivized to stay within the general vicinity of longtime friends and family rather than moving across the country with the risk of never being able to build and be surrounded by a network of "real" relationships. YMMV but I think its getting harder to find 3 new great "will pick you up when you're in the gutter" friends. 3) Similar to number 1 - the US geographically is becoming more the same than different in my opinion. There are certainly still differences but if you move to another state its highly likely that you will be surrounded by a mixture of city and suburbs that contain the same types of things just with different names. Probably mass media and the internet are responsible for this one.

NickPollard 14y ago
Regarding number #2, do you have data for that or is it more anecdotally? The reason I ask is that you could be experiencing it more due to age. I have read that as we get older, it becomes harder to develop close friendships, so you will find it harder to find friends now compared to 20 years ago. Just a possible explanation, might not be true in your case.
- moocow01 14y ago
  Its anecdotal and Im sure getting older influences my opinion. Im also one of these people who thinks Facebook creates a lot of weak ties in replacement of fewer stronger ties between people. No idea if Im wrong or right but despite the many good things technology has brought I wonder if its subtly making many of us more lonely on an individual/cognitive level. There are also a number of cultural/social changes that influence my opinion. Real integrated communities within America seem increasingly rare, there seems to be less trust in "strangers", little to no focus on the common good, increased focus on one's self - on top of it you could argue that we have less of a need for certain types of relationships due to modernization.
- lsc 14y ago
  >I have read that as we get older, it becomes harder to develop close friendships Hm. this is the opposite of my experience. As I've grown older, my social skills and judgment have gotten significantly better. A huge deal, really. Yeah, good relationships need time to marinate, so the sooner you start, obviously, the sooner that marination process can start, and all other things being equal, the relationship that has properly marinated longer is going to be better, I mean, assuming you didn't let it dry out. But I'm just so much better now than I was when I was younger, and it seems that the people I meet are, too.
rogerbinns 14y ago
There other "stickiness" factors. One is that the population is increasingly aged and the exorbitant cost of healthcare means a greater incentive to stick with an existing employer, and possibly even existing doctors. The other is housing prices which are ever greater compared to median income. That makes moving a far greater financial hurdle, and making an initial purchase far more significant. (As a thought exercise consider how you would behave differently if house prices were a tenth of what they are now, or tens times as much.) Education would seem to be another issue as (other than private schools) you have to move to where the schools are and then stay there. I believe average lengths of employment at any one employer are also going down. Consequently the costs of movement versus the benefits of that period of employer are higher.

NickPollard 14y ago

Regarding number #2, do you have data for that or is it more anecdotally? The reason I ask is that you could be experiencing it more due to age. I have read that as we get older, it becomes harder to develop close friendships, so you will find it harder to find friends now compared to 20 years ago. Just a possible explanation, might not be true in your case.

moocow01 14y ago
Its anecdotal and Im sure getting older influences my opinion. Im also one of these people who thinks Facebook creates a lot of weak ties in replacement of fewer stronger ties between people. No idea if Im wrong or right but despite the many good things technology has brought I wonder if its subtly making many of us more lonely on an individual/cognitive level. There are also a number of cultural/social changes that influence my opinion. Real integrated communities within America seem increasingly rare, there seems to be less trust in "strangers", little to no focus on the common good, increased focus on one's self - on top of it you could argue that we have less of a need for certain types of relationships due to modernization.
lsc 14y ago
>I have read that as we get older, it becomes harder to develop close friendships Hm. this is the opposite of my experience. As I've grown older, my social skills and judgment have gotten significantly better. A huge deal, really. Yeah, good relationships need time to marinate, so the sooner you start, obviously, the sooner that marination process can start, and all other things being equal, the relationship that has properly marinated longer is going to be better, I mean, assuming you didn't let it dry out. But I'm just so much better now than I was when I was younger, and it seems that the people I meet are, too.

rogerbinns 14y ago

There other "stickiness" factors. One is that the population is increasingly aged and the exorbitant cost of healthcare means a greater incentive to stick with an existing employer, and possibly even existing doctors. The other is housing prices which are ever greater compared to median income. That makes moving a far greater financial hurdle, and making an initial purchase far more significant. (As a thought exercise consider how you would behave differently if house prices were a tenth of what they are now, or tens times as much.) Education would seem to be another issue as (other than private schools) you have to move to where the schools are and then stay there. I believe average lengths of employment at any one employer are also going down. Consequently the costs of movement versus the benefits of that period of employer are higher.