Brian Lera on WNYC and to end today's show we're going to take your calls for

our last 15 minutes or so on a simple question, do you live near your friends and does it matter?

212 433 WNYC.

And by live near your friends, I don't just mean in the same town or borough or county but actually near. I'm talking about borrow a cup of flower near or can you come help fix my Wi-Fi near walking distance. Call in or text us at

212 433 WNYC 433 433 9692 on the question do you live near your friends and does it matter why do we

ask because there's been a lot of talk recently about the loneliness epidemic quote unquote among Americans the

US Surgeon General you probably know issued a statement last year describing

loneliness as an actual epidemic came on the show that rivals smoking

tobacco in terms of its impact on health. That's a jarring comparison right and

data is showing that Americans spend less time with

friends than at nearly any other point in history. Family too, but we're talking

for the moment about friends.

There was a piece on Vox recently with the headline,

it shouldn't be so hard to live near your friends.

And it suggests that seeing friends

on a very regular impromptu basis offer something of a cure to this loneliness epidemic.

And it's probably not surprising to hear the people who live near their friends end up spending more time with them.

Duh. So listeners let us know. Do you live near your friends and does it matter?

It's not a main deciding factor I think in most people's decisions about where to live these

days but what about for you what about if you don't live near your friends and you used to does it matter let's take your

calls on this there's more I could say but because we went long with Will Leach

because we were having so much fun talking with all of you about the Olympics.

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