#131 - The Loneliness Economy

Journalist and author Rhaina Cohen joins us to talk about the evolution of friendship and her new book “The Other Significant Others.” Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

If it often seems like everyone is always looking for an excuse not to get together, it's because they often are. But you don't have to be that person. Instead you can be the reason you get together, the reason you take the walk together, the reason you and your friends keep your weekly drinks or monthly get togethers. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

Today on the pod we welcome Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin, writers and stars of the new movie ADULT BEST FRIENDS – now streaming on HBO Max! Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

Matt and Karo explore how the definition of friendship has evolved across generations - and centuries. Would your current crew survive in 1925’s smoky speakeasies? What about 1525’s plague-ridden villages? From handwritten letters to group chats, they break down what friendship meant then and now. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

Karo and Matt dive into the magic of “24-hour friends” – those buddies you make over a short period of time at weddings, on vacation, or on a work trip. Why do these accelerated bonds feel so deep, and is it possible to turn them into long-lasting friendships? Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

Matt and Aaron break down common friendship myths. As we all know there are things we believe to be true about friendship, but were did we get these beliefs from and when put to the test are they actually accurate? Usually the answer is no! here are some common friendship myths we discuss/debunk: Friendship should last forever Good friends never argue You need a large circle to be happy Making friends is easy True friends have everything in common Online friends cant be as real as IRL Ones if a friendship ends it was a failure Friendships should always be equal or 50/50   Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

Matt and Karo dive into the Friendship Social Contract - the unspoken rules that hold friendships together. From keeping secrets to showing up on time (and what happens when you don’t), they explore the quiet agreements that separate great friends from flaky ones. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

An entire ecosystem is being built around confronting the loneliness epidemic. Matt and Karo discuss all the new ways help is there for you and all the pros and cons.The Government even has an entire program to help you become more socially fit. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

We all have regrets in life – but we don’t often talk about friendship regret – that falling out you never reconciled, that misunderstanding you never corrected, that old pal you never picked up the phone and called. This week Matt and Karo talk about how to deal with and avoid friendship regret. Also, vasectomies. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X

This week, Karo and Matt dive into the world of rebound friendships—the new buddies you make following a friend break-up. We talk about how to move on without bitterness, what to look for in new friendships, and why rebounds aren’t just for romance. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get MOTY merch at manoftheyearpodcast.com Man of the Year on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and X Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and X