Thread by @TheAtlantic

1/ The average American adult has 16 friends, recent polling showed. Only eight are people they would actually hang out with one-on-one. Just three are “friends for life.”

So how can you find true and lasting friendships? @arthurbrooks explains:
theatlantic.com/family/archive…

2/ First, think about what function your friendships perform. Who are your work friends? Who are the people you hang out with because you just enjoy their company? Is there anyone you spend time with for no reason at all?

3/ If it feels like no one really knows you well, you can take a few steps, @arthurbrooks writes. Have deeper conversations with your existing friends. Show up at places unrelated to your worldly ambitions. Strike up a friendship with someone who can do nothing for you.

4/ Our most transcendental need is for people who, in a worldly sense, we do not need at all, @arthurbrooks writes. If you are lucky, and do the work, you’ll find that you have a real friend or two to whom you can pay the highest compliment: “I don’t need you—I simply love you.”

5/ How many friends for life do you have?

6/ Who are the friends you value most? What makes them good friends?

7/7 Want to hear more from @arthurbrooks and other experts about what it takes to be happy? On May 20, join Atlantic staff and special guests for a daylong exploration of the pursuit of happiness. Register here: pursuitofhappiness.theatlantic.com/?utm_medium=so…