Reasonably Optimistic

Lonely Gen Z needed this wake-up call

July 17, 2026·32 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Gen Z has been told a lot of things about loneliness: that it’s caused by phones, social media, remote work, dating apps, the pandemic, the decline of third places and a culture that makes staying home easier than ever. But what if the more uncomfortable truth is that loneliness is also something people have to actively fight?Host Megan McArdle talks with Wall Street Journal editor Emma Camp about her essay “Loneliness Is for Cowards,” why so many young people seem afraid of embarrassment and rejection, and how to start making real friends again.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

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