I was thinking about something recently.
In my dad’s generation, I rarely heard of “friend breakups.”
He had a strong circle.
He stayed in touch with almost all of them.
Only one friend disappeared from his life.
Not because of ego.
Not because of misunderstanding.
But because that friend lost his son in his mid-50s…
He went into depression…
And slowly cut himself off from everyone.
My dad tried to find him.
But he became unreachable.
That was the only “lost friendship” story I heard.
Even after my dad passed away 12 years back,
his friends still call us…
check on us…
stay connected.
That bond didn’t end with him.
My mother’s story is even more surprising.
She grew up in a time when:
- Landline phones were rare
- Calls were expensive
- No WhatsApp
- No social media
- Women had very limited freedom after marriage
Still…
After 20+ years, she reconnected with her school friends.
And now they are all in regular touch.
She says only a handful are missing.
Most are still connected.
No breakups.
No “we stopped talking.”
Now I look at my generation.
And I see something very different.
We have:
- Mobile phones
- Unlimited calls
- WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn
- Video calls
- Everything is instant
But still…
We lose people.
I have lost many close friends in my lifetime.
Not one. Not two. Many.
And I see the same pattern everywhere.
People drifting.
People disconnecting.
People breaking friendships.
So what changed?
1. Earlier: Fewer People, Deeper Bonds
Our parents had limited circles.
So they invested deeply in those few relationships.
We have hundreds of contacts.
But very few deep connections.
When options increase… value per relationship reduces.
2. Earlier: Ego Was Controlled by Need
They needed relationships.
Today, we can replace people easily.
One misunderstanding…
Instead of fixing it, we move on.
3. Earlier: Effort Was High → Value Was High
To stay in touch:
- Write letters
- Wait weeks
- Make expensive calls
So they valued relationships.
Today:
- One message is enough
- But we don’t even send that
Ease has reduced emotional investment.
4. Today: We Expect Too Much
We expect:
- Instant replies
- Perfect understanding
- Alignment in thinking
If someone doesn’t match…
We silently step away.
5. Life Complexity Has Increased
Career, money, stress, responsibilities…
Everyone is running.
Friendships are no longer a priority.
They become optional.
6. We Don’t Repair. We Replace.
This is the biggest shift.
Earlier:
They repaired relationships.
Today:
We replace people.
My Realisation
We think technology will keep us connected.
But connection is not about tools.
It is about:
- effort
- patience
- tolerance
- forgiveness
Our parents had less access…
But more commitment.
We have full access…
But less commitment.
Final Thought
Maybe the problem is not time.
Not technology.
Maybe the problem is this:
We gave up on people faster than the previous generation ever did.
AnandNataraj 