Result
Not even one in five Germans (18%) meet up with their friends at least once a week - twenty years ago, the figure was 28 per cent. Representatives of the younger generation in particular are meeting up less often: only one in three (32%) under 35-year-olds currently spend time with their friends regularly, compared to 56 per cent in 2004. At the same time, however, two thirds express the wish to spend more time with friends.
Reasons
There are many reasons for the decline in face-to-face meetings. One of the main factors is the increasing time pressure in everyday life. Professional commitments and personal projects often leave little room for social activities. At the same time, there are currently more opportunities to organise your own free time, as the range of entertainment, sports and further education options is more diverse than ever before. Driven by social media, there is also growing pressure to take part in these numerous activities so as not to „miss anything“. Although social media makes it easier to stay in contact with others without having to meet physically, it also reinforces the feeling of having to actively maintain this contact (through posts, likes, snaps, etc.). The feeling of being in contact with friends is there, but the added value of a real meeting cannot be achieved. Social interactions also take a back seat due to constant self-optimisation, as free time is used to achieve personal goals. This often leads to real friendships being neglected.
Forecast
Although the results show a decline in weekly friendships, there are also signs of a renaissance. The need to spend more time with friends symbolises the longing for authentic relationships and real interactions that digital contacts cannot replace.
For example, there are already movements towards a „deceleration“ of lifestyle that could create more space for social bonding. Initiatives such as digital detox, dopamine fasting, voluntary simplicity or minimalism, all of which promote conscious breaks from the digital world, as well as new urban concepts that create social meeting places such as neighbourhood cafés or community projects, will contribute to more real-life friendships.
The decisive factor for the future is how each individual deals with the dynamics of our modern society, characterised by technology, the pressure of leisure time and self-optimisation. Having confidence in yourself and others, as well as taking responsibility for your own actions and happiness, will play a decisive role in this.
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