[hackyhacky]

Yes, and it's sad.

I wish someone would create a business that profits from people forming actual connections with each other, but every opportunity has been displaced.

Dating sites replaces meeting IRL, and foster superficial relationships anyway. Bars are passé. Social clubs, golf clubs, etc, seem to belong to a past generation. Social media killed the social part. The damage to society is real.

[asdff]

Every time someone says something like this, I can think of examples of every point just from the limited scope of my own life to the contrary, which from the frequency it happens I'm guessing indicates my experience isn't so unique and the world isn't this doom and gloom black and white world as described on the internet. People still meet serendipitously. People still go out. The golf club at my municipal course still throws out several tournaments a year with enough demand for like four each mens and womens handicap flights. Maybe the people alleging these things have to look inwardly and ask why they aren't themselves doing these things that can still be done today.

[TheOtherHobbes]

Golf clubs are super niche and self-selecting.

There are almost no spaces left which are easily discoverable by "analog" means without relying at all on social media.

The UK used to have a very strong pub and club culture. That's been collapsing for most of this century - some of it helped by government legislation.

This hasn't changed direction recently.

https://www.stevestewartwilliams.com/p/graph-of-the-day-how-...

[ndriscoll]

There is one: universities. They're just really expensive so you can't stay there for more than a few years, and people aren't properly advised of how important the opportunity is.

[prepend]

Meetup is kind of like that. I use it for ongoing hiking clubs and book clubs and movie clubs.

Comically, Facebook sort of serves this way as well by brining together hiking clubs and d&d groups.

[sneak]

They did, but it turns out that people’s most common social activity/interest is sex-based.

Omegle wasn’t known for making BFFs.

[eucyclos]

Meetup's still fighting the good fight :)