Hacker News Reader

Comment by m000 | Hacker News Reader

I would put this down to a growing part of the population feels financially insecure.

As you grow older, spending quality time with people also requires spending $. If you are barely making some savings, you probably won't feel comfortable in scaling up your social life.

It is surprising that the author recognizes the time period/age group...

> These new habits are startling — and a striking departure from the past. Just a decade ago, the average American spent roughly the same amount of time with friends as Americans in the 1960s or 1970s.

...but cannot (does not dare to?) make the correlation that financial insecurity has exploded.

View on HN

I made this exact point in this thread elsewhere. It is gross negligence to not even consider peoples finances and stress from lack of said finances as effecting how much we socialize.

Who the hell has the energy to socialize these days? I get paid less and less, my boss acts like I am selfish for wanting a raise while simultaneously expecting me to do 3 peoples job, and its crushingly depressing thinking about how I will likely never have enough to retire or live a comfortable life in old age.

Who the hell is surprised that people are just sitting at home?

US society is being torn apart by the rich, and almost every social issue we have in this country is directly connected to that.

Look at the recent rail strike, some of those workers only get something like 40 days off a year, that is INCLUDING their "weekends". It is absolutely out of control how badly the average american is being crushed by a society with so much wealth and knowledge.

My friend group is pretty economically diverse and also cost-conscious, and most of our social activities are free or nearly-free. We hang out in public parks, get together in each other's homes, and go hiking, camping, or to beaches. Optionally, you can put out some cheese and crackers and a cheap bottle of wine, and now you're all having a nice time together for $20.

I'm well-off these days, but I still enjoy doing free/cheap stuff, because I'm there to hang out with my friends, and they're the same friends whether we're sitting on a blanket in a park, or eating three michelin stars. I highly recommend suggesting free activities to your friends, if they're currently in the habit of going out to bars and restaurants and other $$$ activities. Just try it! Maybe you'll all like it.

Try that when you're working 3 part time jobs at 70 hrs/wk to make ends meet, because most cities in this country are horribly expensive (especially housing/rent/etc).

I can understand the time-poor argument made by another commenter, but otherwise you're right - there are loads of social options that are inexpensive. Have a couple of drinks while watching TV/movie/sport at home, meet up and go for a walk, cook together, meet at a pub for the lunch special, etc.

This, and time poverty

Reply on news.ycombinator.com