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Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.

So, surveys show that adult men are suffering a friendship crisis.

Most adult men don't have a single friend they could turn to in a time of need.

And many sociologists suggest this dearth of male friendship

is one of the contributing factors in increased mental disorders and suicide rates among men.

But close male friends don't just keep you from suffering and mental and emotional breakdown.

They're also vital in shaping you into a better man.

That's the argument my guest today, Steven Mansfield makes in his latest book,

Building Your Band of Brothers.

And today on the show, Steven and I discussed the bleak statistics on male friendship,

the myth of the lone alpha male, and why making friends in adulthood is so hard for men today.

We then discuss what he means by a band of brothers,

why men's accountability groups usually fail,

and how a close knit group of friends can help make you a better man.

We end our discussion by delving into exactly what you need to do to develop a band of brothers

and what to do when you get together.

If you feel like you've been lagging in the friendship department, this episode is for you.

You're going to walk away with some tactics you put into action right away

to begin developing your posse of pals.

Out of the shows over, make sure to check out the show notes at aowm.is slash band of brothers

for links to resources where you help deepen this topic.

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