Blaming Men and Feminists for Millennial and Gen Z Loneliness is a Distraction. The Actual Reason is Far More Sad

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Two days ago, a friend showed me an article.

“57% of men and 59% of women reported being lonely in 2025. Loneliness levels were close to equal in 2018 as well, with 53% of men and 54% of women reporting feelings of loneliness.” — Cigna.

She has close friends. But. These are also her office colleagues, and it’s the same for those coworkers. Forty-hour workweeks. Common enemies to fuel convos. Solid bond. Most people are lonely, the news says.

Here’s what the reports don’t state: Bad economic situations affect lonely people. Terrible kinds. So, they don’t have friends.

The Lonely Generation Headlines Aren’t Making the Correlation

Scan through any financial reports. You’ll wish you bought a home while you were in kindergarten. And skipped university to become certified in the trades field. Listen — bad economic situations affect everyone. But terrible economic times cause you to be lonely. In 2018, economic uncertainty rose. America began initiating trade wars via tariff increases. A pandemic, tech layoffs, and AI-led hiring freezes made the stress on the US and global economy worse. Incredibly so.

But internet propaganda blames men’s entitlement and women’s empowerment.

Did we suddenly realize most women do the unfair majority of household chores? Nope. A quick search reveals a 2013 survey. Yes, even older papers. Did we suddenly realize plenty ‘anti-wife’ jokes lurk in 1990s family sitcoms? Again. No. Al’s punchlines against his wife in ‘Married…with Children’’ were as obvious as stubbing one’s toe.

So, Why Are We Lonelier?

Today’s lives lack stability.

I didn’t know about the author Dale Carnegie until I graduated college. I had no need to learn ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ as I had so many classmates and group assignments. What’s funny? I’ve never read past chapter three after being lucky enough to land a job.

Lots of people don’t wonder about how to make friends until they’re a graduate. Married. Single. A single parent. Homeless. Celebrating milestone ages in their childhood bedroom or parents’ basement. Drowning in debt. Living in extended-stay hotels. Unemployed. Spiralling from envy after comparing themselves to social media highlight reels.

Hello to Fast-Paced Living Environments

An AARP Foundation article flat-out states life transitions can make you feel lonely. Both joyful, or sad events disrupt your routine and social connections. Plus. We’ve normalized “leaving behind circumstances no longer serving us.” So, if you feel you’ve outgrown your circle (or they’ve outgrown them), remove yourself. Worse. Just go ghost. As a society, we’ve also erased small talk opportunities with convenience. While we embrace feelings of social anxiety.

57% — lonely women. 59% — lonely men.

Doesn’t sound like much until a WHO’s social connection 2025 report indicated 1 in 3 US adults experience loneliness weekly. Globally, it’s 1 in 6. The paper detailed such feelings were twice as likely if you’re either young or a low-income earner.

Lay the Blame Where It Belongs

Why’d you want to meet new people if you’re afraid to answer, “So, where do you work?” Because, as if explaining your poopy situation isn’t bad enough. You’d hear more eye-roll optimistic BS from a cute stranger.

Lost your job? You suddenly realize you’re friendless. The lines unblur. Work friends now know they aren’t your family or associates. Only colleagues who once worked for the same company. Social circles shrivel faster after you nosedive into sending 243 applications within 3 months. By the time you begin to network, aiming for a new angle to get hired, everything is different. Connections seem like short-lived means to changing your employment status.

The economic headlines painfully list all the reasons Gen Zs and some millennials want fewer people to know their struggles. If rent eats half your income, why would you want to meet anyone for brunch? I know. Too many social activities revolve around spending and being outside. But who is brave enough to invite guests into their parents’ basement? Not many. So, we see others through our phones, feeling ever more disconnected and alone.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.