why is it that as we grow older. It seems harder to make friends?

Answer 1

In my eyes,

As we grow older ,

We learn ,

The true meaning of a,

Friend ~ !
Verses a acquaintance ~!
~^~^~^~Peace.

Answer 2

Because we learn from experience that most people aren't worth knowing. Just kiddin'.

I think it is because fewer people meet our criteria. As we grow older, we presumably accrue more responsibilities. It becomes more and more difficult to meet new people who are also juggling responsibilities of their own. Eventually, you become content with your current circle of friends and rarely introduce anyone new to the group.

Another thing is our propensity to prejudge others. When a person exhibits a behavior, a meaningless similarity, or anything at all that reminds us of someone we perceive in a negative way, we immediately dismiss that person as being like the other that you associate negatively.

Answer 3

It doesn't have to be harder to make friends as you grow older... perhaps the reason a lot of people find it difficult is because they assume they already know all their likes and dislikes... and so they don't want to try new things, which is a big part of meeting people and making new friends.

The solution: be more flexible and willing to try new things.

Answer 4

As children we will put up with anything because we don't know any better. As we get older, we get wiser and when we see people around us doing things that we don't like we voice our opinions which may turn us away and turn other people away from friendship. As we get older, we are more conscious of who we hang around, and who we socialize with. So in a sense it seems like it's harder, when actually we're are just being more careful.

Answer 5

Because people tend to have and be cautious of other people's ulterior motives the older we get. When I was 10, girls I didn't know might come right up to me and ask me if I wanted to play with them or be their friend. Now if a girl I didn't know came up and asked me if I wanted to hang out with her I'd probably think she was a lesbian. However I am very open to making new girlfriends - it just is rare that someone else is so eager to make new friends too, and approaches the situation that directly.

Answer 6

One reason is because of responsibilities in our lives.

When we were children, what were our responsibilities? Go to school, do your homework, help w/ chores around the house, and then PLAY. Get out of the house and go play, and you'd be outside playing and then someone would walk by and then you'd start playing with them. Pretty easy

However, as we get older, our responsibilities change. We have to make money for rent/mortgage payment, we have to have enough money to pay the phone bill, the cell phone bill, the electric bill, the credit card bill, the gas bill, the tuition for the kid's college education, the tuition for the kid's private school education, etc . . . and we don't have the time to "go out" and meet people and make friends.

Another reason is because of our distrust of people we were taught as children to not fear and respect.

Some churches have become so hypocritical (Not ALL, but many have) that we don't trust the people we attend church with - we're too busy playing "Keep Up With the Jonses".

Because of a few cases of infidelity from our "high profile men of the cloth" we don't trust our clergymen.

Because of our general distrust of others we don't necessarily socialize with our co-workers outside of the workplace. We fear of whatever we say in regards of a third co-worker, we don't want the second co-worker for him/her to say anything to the third person.

That's been my life experience so far. I wish it were easier to make friends as we grow older, but I don't think it will ever be.

Answer 7

I think as people get older they have other responsibilities that can hinder friendships (family, jobs, etc). I don't have a family or anything, but I have a hard enough time balancing the friends I already have, my job, my boyfriend, etc. Also, I actually read recently that people now have less friendships then in the past. I think the article cited changes in technology, increases in commuting, increase in work responsibilities, etc.

Also, I think as you get older you become more choosy with who you want to spend your time with.

Answer 8

I find that to be an interesting comment because I have made more friends in my 30's than ever before. I hope that never changes! However, my Mom & Step Dad who are in their late 50's don't have many friends because they are very happy and content with just the two of them. They don't want other people's issues, etc. bringing them down.

Answer 9

Probably because as the older we get, we generally become less open to other points of view, thereby diminishing our ability and/or willingness to confinde in others and allow them into our inner circle of trust. Also, it takes a lot of work and effort to open up a lifetime of baggage to someone new, as well as have to deal with someone else's lifetime of baggage. The path of least resistance might just be to avoid all that effort.

Answer 10

because as u getting older u getting experience so next time u gonna meet someone u got all the good and bad memmories in yyour head and its hard to be so cool and outgoing like u used to be when u was teenager