[david38]

It’s not because friendships are largely made from shared suffering.

In a time of further independence, over choice, and tech to hold onto previous friends, making friends who actually will physically meet up with you frequently is definitely harder.

[johnnyanmac]

I wouldn't put it in the same league as dating, but it still has that element where effort doesn't correlate with success, or at least you personally perceive it as so. You can try to schedule plenty of get together and still feel like loose colleagues. Or sometimes you randomly invite someone at the 11th hour and now you're best friends who meet every week. That can be a bit frustrating for someone perhaps someonhwre on the neuro divergent spectrum.

But in a way, yes. Shared moments of triumph or suffering can accelerate that process. Those aren't necessarily moments you can always replicate, though.