re: Why do men become so non-social as they age?

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Well we live in a "frick you, I got mine" type of world. People care about themselves and selfishness makes healthy community impossible. Even if you get together with people it turns into people using and backstabbing each other or constantly trying to one-up one another on their houses, vacations, cars, etc.

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Yes. I also think we're more diverse in a not-helpful way, which makes developing those bonds more difficult. The truth is that 50 years ago those best friend families were probably pretty alike. They weren't of different religions, races, political persuasions, etc.

They likely lived in a town where people went to one of 3 churches and worked at one of 10 places and the kids went to the same schools and they all voted more or less the same. Which means you're less likely to butt heads constantly over the things we now care about as a society and love to create drama with.

What's more, we now emphasize and tell the world those things every day through social media. So even if you're resolved to be best friends with folks who are different than you, it's harder because there is a reasonable chance those people will declare to the world how much they hate vegans/Christians/Republicans/Alabama fans all the time in a way you'd never use to hear and deal with.