Mateo Diem Warns of Male Loneliness Epidemic

Mateo Diem argues that many men experience loneliness not because opportunities are lacking, but because they stop creating and pursuing them. He cites the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning that insufficient social connection can damage health as severely as smoking up to fifteen cigarettes a day.

Diem stresses that loneliness should not be treated merely as a personal issue to be discussed in private. Instead, he calls for men to take active steps—building social skills, engaging with others, and accepting responsibility for their own lives—rather than waiting for a partner or others to rescue them. He also notes that entering a relationship without addressing this underlying isolation can carry the same emptiness into the partnership.