Latest news with #JeffreyHall
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘An uphill battle': why are midlife men struggling to make – and keep – friends?
As a therapist, Jeremy Mohler spends his days guiding middle-aged men through feelings of loneliness. He encourages them to seek connections, yet the 39-year-old is the first to admit it: when you're a guy, making real friends in midlife is difficult. 'It feels like an uphill battle,' says Mohler, who lives in Baltimore. Some call it a friendship recession: a time in midlife when close male friendships sink to their lowest. According to data from the Survey Center on American Life, 15% of US men said they do not have close friends in 2021, compared with 3% in 1990. Those reporting 10 or more close friends decreased from 33% to 13% during the same period. Authentic or close friendship may mean different things to different people. One straightforward description is finding 'someone who sees you as you see yourself, and you see them as they see themselves', says Niobe Way, a developmental psychology professor at New York University. Jeffrey Hall, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas who studies friendships and has previously found it can take 200 hours to make a close friend, says: 'A true friend will support and stand by you no matter what, will stand up for you, and tells you the truth.' The reasons for the friendship recession are complex, says Hall. Straight men Mohler's age often depend on their partners for socializing. Some dive deep into parenthood. College buddies disperse. Work priorities take over. And moving to a new city or country can dissolve formerly strong bonds. Ultimately, it can feel too hard to invest time in new and deeper friendships. Despite loneliness due to estrangement from relatives or different family structures, 'many gay men find and build community around an embrace of shared spaces,' says Matt Lundquist, a therapist in New York, which he finds is less common for heterosexual men. 'This sort of intentional taking on a project of searching for new, deeper friendships is more a heterosexual project. It is a demographic that is very isolated.' 'My clients are looking for more connections,' Mohler says. 'I have ideas and skills and solutions, but I'm still personally searching for practical ways to do that.' He is not the only one feeling the itch to turn a workout buddy into someone he can call on a Saturday afternoon. US men aged 15 to 35 are among the loneliest in wealthy countries, with 25% reporting feeling lonely for a lot of the previous day, according to a 2025 Gallup poll. Marketing professor and popular podcast host Scott Galloway recently touted the benefits of authentic connections for men amid what he called a 'perfect storm of loneliness'. 'Men have it drilled into us from an early age that vulnerability and emotional connections are signs of weakness,' Galloway wrote. 'They aren't, and men with influence have an obligation to cleanse this bullshit version of masculinity from the zeitgeist.' The men I interviewed say they don't want to be just a stat in the much-touted loneliness epidemic, which is also increasingly being tied to poorer physical and mental health outcomes. Still, it's difficult to avoid in practice. 'There's a certain cultural understanding that men don't know how to enact intimacy or that it's simply not practiced very much,' says Hall. 'And even men's popular culture doesn't show you how to go about the process.' Some are figuring it out. Jedidiah Jenkins, 42, an author living in Los Angeles, says he's had to relearn about the importance of maintaining close bonds with other men. As a teenager, he had plenty of friends; making them seemed effortless. 'You didn't have to work for it,' Jenkins says. 'We have to learn in the same way that we actively download dating apps and pursue a relationship that we have to pursue friendships.' For the last few years, Jenkins has organized a weekly hangout at his house. Anywhere from three to 20 friends show up for what he calls 'riff raff Thursdays', including a handful of regulars. He starts a bonfire and serves hot tea, mezcal and peanut butter pretzels. The consistency means that his friends know what they are doing that week, and takes away the pressure of scheduling one-on-one meetups. 'It doesn't require the full energy of finding time for a weekly coffee date,' he says. Before the second world war, same-sex male friendships were a large part of public life, and women's friendships were seen as frivolous and less important, Hall explains. But these roles have since reversed. Today, most heterosexual men feel they are marrying someone who becomes the default events planner, and their genuine close friendships fall away, Hall says. 'They rely on their wives to develop the social calendar – they think: 'She'll do it and I don't have to do it',' he says. 'There's atrophy in their skillset.' Way, the developmental psychology professor, says girls and boys start out on the same trajectory of prioritizing friendships. But boys feel pressure to give up their same-sex friendships because it feels 'girly or gay'. Rates of male suicide also tick up around adolescence. 'It's not that they naturally don't want these friendships. They had them when they were younger,' she says. 'It's not some weird biological thing.' Way, who receives emails from hundreds of men each year about her research, says more of them feel like it's possible to secure closer friendships after the pandemic because the topic is receiving more attention. 'They are now recognizing what the problems are,' she says. 'They've hit the bottom of the barrel.' At the same time, her research points to a culture that doesn't value friendships. Since the 1980s, she says, the United States' focus on self-fulfillment has reduced the importance of friendships for everyone. Digital life distracts us too much or provides a simulacrum of closeness; even listening to podcasts can bring a faux feeling of intimacy. 'We focus more on the self, and the tech just exacerbates it,' she says. In Hebden Bridge, England, former professional rugby player Craig White has started hosting nature retreats for men to encourage deeper connections. White, now a mentor and coach, runs a 'mid-life intensive' program that offers online meetings along with a three-day in-person meet-up. White's retreats involve hiking, spending nights around a fire, discussing feelings openly and bonding outside of day-to-day pressures. When it came to his father, 'healthy male friendship wasn't modeled and the friendship groups involved alcohol,' he says. 'A lot of my clients are brilliant men, but a lot of their old friends are still doing the same thing and there's a reluctance to go back to that.' Draymond Washington, an entrepreneur and former financial adviser, founded a private club in Chicago called Three Cities Social earlier this year, and says connecting midlife professionals is the goal. But after months of hosting events, he realized that while the club's membership is roughly 40% male, event attendance was typically 80% women, he says. Men aren't always willing to come to the club to socialize. So he has started hosting events aimed specifically at men in their 30s and 40s: boxing classes, pickleball and boat rides. 'Guys like to do stuff,' Washington says. 'Someone needs to curate and then they do want to show up.' He's been able to engage more men this way, but it's been more difficult than he expected. Hall says men must work against decades of complacency to build friendships powerful enough to dispel loneliness. His prior research shows that men tend to have low expectations for their friendships in general, and often say that even those low expectations aren't being met. (Women, on the other hand, have expectations that are too high.) Such low-stakes relationships tend to leave them feeling even more alone when compared with deeper friendships, he adds. Kevin Cleaver, 40, who relocated from New York to Highland Park, Illinois, says he decided to focus on making connections after Covid-era isolation. In New York, Cleaver felt increasingly alone, and he wasn't willing to go through that again in a new city. 'That mindset helped me take the bull by the horns to meet others here,' he says. The transition from casual to deeper friendship can take time, and it's not always apparent who is eager to make the leap, says Cleaver. He started at the gym, saying hello to people he saw after workouts. One is now a genuine friend; they bumped into each other at the grocery store and were both buying steak, which they took as a sign to socialize outside the gym. 'The more we ran into each other, the more we'd chat, but it was only after we found out that we had an interesting overlap in life and relationships that we became closer,' he adds. They have since bonded over similar romantic predicaments and regularly meet to chat over beer. Some men – especially those in heterosexual relationships who have children – have mixed feelings about how their partners affect friendship, feeling their lack of support makes it difficult to pursue even platonic relationships outside marriage. Jenkins, the author from LA, says that based on his and friends' experiences, significant others are not always supportive. Some assume men hanging out together can lead to inappropriate behavior, reinforcing a cultural narrative that 'when men are spending time with other men, they are probably doing devious activities, going to strip clubs or having sex with somebody else or getting trashed,' he says. Recently, though, he has witnessed some of the women in his friend groups let go of their protectiveness and encourage these friendships, he adds. But Mohler, the therapist, says he emulates how his partner, a woman, handles her own friendships. For example, he checks in with friends after a fun evening or makes sure to schedule future plans when he's hanging out with someone. 'I say: 'I had a really great time; we should do this again – let's keep the ball rolling,'' he says. Additionally, he has let go of surface-level friendships, prioritizing those that have the potential to deepen. 'I have a little bit of sadness and grief for male friendships that don't go beyond the surface,' he says. 'I want to hear what they are struggling with, and I want them to help me.' Hall, the professor, says that many men still consider friendships to be a women's issue. And despite the idea of social health becoming more mainstream, he's unsure whether many men are aware of or influenced by these ideas, such as loneliness affecting physical health. He has yet to see evidence that there's a persistent trend of men seeking out meaningful friendship. 'It could be just a flash in the pan,' he says. Could younger men offer a bright spot? Some research on undergraduate males from 2017 showed they want more intimate bonds and are comfortable with 'bromances', which they say rival or exceed romantic relationships. Jaquis Covington, 29, is a member of Three Cities Social; he grew up in a large family and says he witnessed his own parents turn only to other family members for support. Seeing his parents feel alone at times has motivated him to do things differently. Outside of his work in commercial real estate, he spends time playing video games or golfing with friends he met through the club. 'My parents' best friends were probably their kids. I need to invest in friendships outside of what I'm accustomed to,' he says. 'I think about who is going to be at my wedding.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘An uphill battle': why are midlife men struggling to make – and keep – friends?
As a therapist, Jeremy Mohler spends his days guiding middle-aged men through feelings of loneliness. He encourages them to seek connections, yet the 39-year-old is the first to admit it: when you're a guy, making real friends in midlife is difficult. 'It feels like an uphill battle,' says Mohler, who lives in Baltimore. Some call it a friendship recession: a time in midlife when close male friendships sink to their lowest. According to data from the Survey Center on American Life, 15% of US men said they do not have close friends in 2021, compared with 3% in 1990. Those reporting 10 or more close friends decreased from 33% to 13% during the same period. Authentic or close friendship may mean different things to different people. One straightforward description is finding 'someone who sees you as you see yourself, and you see them as they see themselves', says Niobe Way, a developmental psychology professor at New York University. Jeffrey Hall, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas who studies friendships and has previously found it can take 200 hours to make a close friend, says: 'A true friend will support and stand by you no matter what, will stand up for you, and tells you the truth.' The reasons for the friendship recession are complex, says Hall. Straight men Mohler's age often depend on their partners for socializing. Some dive deep into parenthood. College buddies disperse. Work priorities take over. And moving to a new city or country can dissolve formerly strong bonds. Ultimately, it can feel too hard to invest time in new and deeper friendships. Despite loneliness due to estrangement from relatives or different family structures, 'many gay men find and build community around an embrace of shared spaces,' says Matt Lundquist, a therapist in New York, which he finds is less common for heterosexual men. 'This sort of intentional taking on a project of searching for new, deeper friendships is more a heterosexual project. It is a demographic that is very isolated.' 'My clients are looking for more connections,' Mohler says. 'I have ideas and skills and solutions, but I'm still personally searching for practical ways to do that.' He is not the only one feeling the itch to turn a workout buddy into someone he can call on a Saturday afternoon. US men aged 15 to 35 are among the loneliest in wealthy countries, with 25% reporting feeling lonely for a lot of the previous day, according to a 2025 Gallup poll. Marketing professor and popular podcast host Scott Galloway recently touted the benefits of authentic connections for men amid what he called a 'perfect storm of loneliness'. 'Men have it drilled into us from an early age that vulnerability and emotional connections are signs of weakness,' Galloway wrote. 'They aren't, and men with influence have an obligation to cleanse this bullshit version of masculinity from the zeitgeist.' The men I interviewed say they don't want to be just a stat in the much-touted loneliness epidemic, which is also increasingly being tied to poorer physical and mental health outcomes. Still, it's difficult to avoid in practice. 'There's a certain cultural understanding that men don't know how to enact intimacy or that it's simply not practiced very much,' says Hall. 'And even men's popular culture doesn't show you how to go about the process.' Some are figuring it out. Jedidiah Jenkins, 42, an author living in Los Angeles, says he's had to relearn about the importance of maintaining close bonds with other men. As a teenager, he had plenty of friends; making them seemed effortless. 'You didn't have to work for it,' Jenkins says. 'We have to learn in the same way that we actively download dating apps and pursue a relationship that we have to pursue friendships.' For the last few years, Jenkins has organized a weekly hangout at his house. Anywhere from three to 20 friends show up for what he calls 'riff raff Thursdays', including a handful of regulars. He starts a bonfire and serves hot tea, mezcal and peanut butter pretzels. The consistency means that his friends know what they are doing that week, and takes away the pressure of scheduling one-on-one meetups. 'It doesn't require the full energy of finding time for a weekly coffee date,' he says. Prior to the second world war, same-sex male friendships were a large part of public life, and women's friendships were seen as frivolous and less important, Hall explains. But these roles have since reversed. Today, most heterosexual men feel they are marrying someone who becomes the default events planner, and their genuine close friendships fall away, Hall says. 'They rely on their wives to develop the social calendar – they think: 'She'll do it and I don't have to do it',' he says. 'There's atrophy in their skillset.' Way, the developmental psychology professor, says girls and boys start out on the same trajectory of prioritizing friendships. But boys feel pressure to give up their same-sex friendships because it feels 'girly or gay'. Rates of male suicide also tick up around adolescence. 'It's not that they naturally don't want these friendships. They had them when they were younger,' she says. 'It's not some weird biological thing.' Way, who receives emails from hundreds of men each year about her research, says more of them feel like it's possible to secure closer friendships after the pandemic because the topic is receiving more attention. 'They are now recognizing what the problems are,' she says. 'They've hit the bottom of the barrel.' At the same time, her research points to a culture that doesn't value friendships. Since the 1980s, she says, the United States's focus on self-fulfillment has reduced the importance of friendships for everyone. Digital life distracts us too much or provides a simulacrum of closeness; even listening to podcasts can bring a faux feeling of intimacy. 'We focus more on the self, and the tech just exacerbates it,' she says. In Hebden Bridge, England, former professional rugby player Craig White has started hosting nature retreats for men to encourage deeper connections. White, now a mentor and coach, runs a 'mid-life intensive' program that offers online meetings along with a three-day in-person meet-up. White's retreats involve hiking, spending nights around a fire, discussing feelings openly and bonding outside of day-to-day pressures. When it came to his father, 'healthy male friendship wasn't modeled and the friendship groups involved alcohol,' he says. 'A lot of my clients are brilliant men, but a lot of their old friends are still doing the same thing and there's a reluctance to go back to that.' Draymond Washington, an entrepreneur and former financial adviser, founded a private club in Chicago called Three Cities Social earlier this year, and says connecting midlife professionals is the goal. But after months of hosting events, he realized that while the club's membership is roughly 40% male, event attendance was typically 80% women, he says. Men aren't always willing to come to the club to socialize. So he has started hosting events aimed specifically at men in their 30s and 40s: boxing classes, pickleball and boat rides. 'Guys like to do stuff,' Washington says. 'Someone needs to curate and then they do want to show up.' He's been able to engage more men this way, but it's been more difficult than he expected. Hall says men must work against decades of complacency to build friendships powerful enough to dispel loneliness. His prior research shows that men tend to have low expectations for their friendships in general, and often say that even those low expectations aren't being met. (Women, on the other hand, have expectations that are too high.) Such low-stakes relationships tend to leave them feeling even more alone when compared to deeper friendships, he adds. Kevin Cleaver, 40, who relocated from New York to Highland Park, Illinois, says he decided to focus on making connections after Covid-era isolation. In New York, Cleaver felt increasingly alone, and he wasn't willing to go through that again in a new city. 'That mindset helped me take the bull by the horns to meet others here,' he says. The transition from casual to deeper friendship can take time, and it's not always apparent who is eager to make the leap, says Cleaver. He started at the gym, saying hello to people he saw after workouts. One is now a genuine friend; they bumped into each other at the grocery store and were both buying steak, which they took as a sign to socialize outside the gym. 'The more we ran into each other, the more we'd chat, but it was only after we found out that we had an interesting overlap in life and relationships that we became closer,' he adds. They've since bonded over similar romantic predicaments and regularly meet to chat over beer. Some men – especially those in heterosexual relationships who have children – have mixed feelings about how their partners affect friendship, feeling their lack of support makes it difficult to pursue even platonic relationships outside of marriage. Jenkins, the author from LA, says that based on his and friends' experiences, significant others are not always supportive. Some assume men hanging out together can lead to inappropriate behavior, reinforcing a cultural narrative that 'when men are spending time with other men, they are probably doing devious activities, going to strip clubs or having sex with somebody else or getting trashed,' he says. Recently, though, he has witnessed some of the women in his friend groups let go of their protectiveness and encourage these friendships, he adds. But Mohler, the therapist, says he emulates how his partner, a woman, handles her own friendships. For example, he checks in with friends after a fun evening or makes sure to schedule future plans when he's hanging out with someone. 'I say: 'I had a really great time; we should do this again – let's keep the ball rolling,'' he says. Additionally, he has let go of surface-level friendships, prioritizing those that have the potential to deepen. 'I have a little bit of sadness and grief for male friendships that don't go beyond the surface,' he says. 'I want to hear what they are struggling with, and I want them to help me.' Hall, the professor, says that many men still consider friendships to be a women's issue. And despite the idea of social health becoming more mainstream, he's unsure whether many men are aware of or influenced by these ideas, such as loneliness affecting physical health. He has yet to see evidence that there's a persistent trend of men seeking out meaningful friendship. 'It could be just a flash in the pan,' he says. Could younger men offer a bright spot? Some research on undergraduate males from 2017 showed they want more intimate bonds and are comfortable with 'bromances', which they say rival or exceed romantic relationships. Jaquis Covington, 29, is a member of Three Cities Social; he grew up in a large family and says he witnessed his own parents turn only to other family members for support. Seeing his parents feel alone at times has motivated him to do things differently. Outside of his work in commercial real estate, he spends time playing video games or golfing with friends he met through the club. 'My parents' best friends were probably their kids. I need to invest in friendships outside of what I'm accustomed to,' he says. 'I think about who is going to be at my wedding.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In sudden change, Japan now wants rice farmers to grow more
STORY: Japanese farmer Kazuhachi Hosaka has been growing rice for 30 years. But over that time, he's seen his industry steadily dwindle: Rice prices never went up and farmers couldn't turn a profit, he says, with many quitting as a result. Successive governments tried to tackle the problem with incentives to grow other crops. They hoped that would limit the supply of rice, and drive up prices. Suddenly, however, everything has changed - including government policy. Rice prices in Japan have roughly doubled following a bad harvest in 2023. That has boosted profits for farmers, but horrified consumers who depend on the staple grain. And even the growers aren't really pleased - they're worried the high prices could drive shoppers to switch to cheaper imports. With an upper house election looming, Kanda University of International Studies expert Jeffrey Hall says farming is high on the agenda: "From a political point of view, rice has always been sort of an important staple food for Japan, so if its price goes up or if it doubles, that's a big deal for a lot of voters, and protecting rice farmers, protecting Japan from cheap foreign rice has always been a big issue for politicians, especially conservative politicians in Japan." Reversing decades of policy, Tokyo is now trying to encourage more rice production. It's set a target of exporting about 385,000 U.S. tons by 2030 - an eightfold jump on last year's level. Ministers say that production could then be switched back to the domestic market in the event of a shortage. As a short-term measure, they've also released rice from government stockpiles, selling it to consumers at around half the regular market price. Adding another layer of pressure, however, is Donald Trump. "They won't take rice and yet they desperately need rice. You know that. But they won't take rice." He has cited Japan's limited imports of U.S. rice as a big stumbling block to a trade deal. Now farmer Hosaka broadly supports the move to boost production, but says growers will need help to revert back from other crops. And he's far from confident about the future, especially if it involves more imports. Rice is our staple food, he says, and we shouldn't be dependent on other nations to get it.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
15 Reasons You Feel Like You're In A 'Situationship' With Your Own Husband
In the realm of modern relationships, there's a peculiar place where romance and ambiguity intertwine, where the lines between love and convenience blur. Welcome to the "situationship"—typically the realm of dating apps and undefined connections. But what if you find yourself in one with your own husband? It's a sobering thought, and yet, more common than you'd expect. Here are fourteen signs that might have you pondering the state of your marital union. When was the last time you had a heart-to-heart conversation with your husband that wasn't about logistics or what's for dinner? If your discussions rarely stray beyond the mundane, you might be in a situationship. The spontaneity and depth that once characterized your conversations have given way to a perfunctory exchange of words. It's as if you're roommates rather than partners in life. According to Dr. Andrea Bonior, a clinical psychologist and author of "The Friendship Fix," the absence of meaningful communication can be a red flag. She explains that when couples cease to share their inner thoughts and feelings, they risk drifting apart emotionally. Without regular, open dialogue, even the strongest bonds can grow tenuous. It's essential to prioritize intentional communication to maintain a genuine connection. Remember those early days when any moment could be an opportunity for romance? If flowers or surprise date nights have become relics of the past, you might be in a situationship. It's not just about grand gestures; even the smallest acts of love have vanished into thin air. When romance becomes an afterthought, your relationship might be treading on thin ice. The absence of romance can signal a disconnect between partners, where complacency replaces genuine affection. It's easy to fall into routines that eschew the excitement of yesteryear, but it's harder to reignite the spark once it's gone. A lack of romance can gradually erode the emotional foundation of your relationship. You both deserve to feel cherished and desired, not just tolerated. If you and your husband operate in distinctly separate social circles, you may find yourself feeling like more of an acquaintance than a partner. This division can gradually lead to a sense of isolation within your marriage. Shared experiences and mutual friends help solidify a partnership, fostering a sense of unity. Without these connections, it's easy to feel like two ships passing in the night. A 2018 study conducted by the University of Kansas found that couples who share social networks tend to experience stronger relational satisfaction. Lead researcher Dr. Jeffrey Hall noted that shared friendships can act as a buffer against relationship stress. When your social lives don't intersect, you're missing out on opportunities to strengthen your bond through shared experiences. It might be time to bridge that gap and find common ground. Do you sidestep the tough talks, hoping they'll resolve themselves? Avoiding conflict may provide temporary peace, but it can also create a situationship within your marriage. When important issues are swept under the rug, resentment and misunderstanding are likely to fester. Healthy relationships require confronting challenges head-on, no matter how uncomfortable. The avoidance of difficult conversations can lead to emotional distance and decrease intimacy. It's a temporary fix that doesn't address the underlying issues threatening your bond. By fostering an environment where open dialogue is encouraged, you're more likely to maintain a strong, supportive partnership. Remember, the best relationships are built on honesty and trust, not avoidance. Do you find yourself going through the motions without any real thought or intention? Living on autopilot can make your marriage feel more like a business arrangement than a loving partnership. When you're only half-present, your emotional connection becomes a casualty. This detachment can gradually erode the intimacy and understanding that once defined your relationship. According to relationship expert Dr. John Gottman, one of the predictors of relationship dissatisfaction is a lack of emotional presence. Being present means tuning into your partner's needs and emotions, not just being physically there. When you're in autopilot mode, you miss the subtle cues that are essential for maintaining a thriving relationship. To combat this, practice intentionality in your interactions, ensuring your actions align with your intentions. When was the last time you shared a moment of real intimacy? The absence of physical closeness might signify you're drifting into a situationship with your husband. It's not just about sex, but about feeling connected and valued through touch and affection. Without it, the emotional connection can wither, leaving resentment in its place. Physical intimacy is more than a mere expression of love; it's a vital component of a healthy relationship. It fosters a sense of belonging and reinforces the emotional bonds between partners. When intimacy evaporates, it can feel like you're living with a stranger. Rebuilding this aspect of your relationship requires effort and vulnerability, but the payoff is a renewed sense of connection. If it feels like you and your husband are always on different pages, this misalignment could indicate a situationship. When your goals and priorities diverge, it can feel as if you're living separate lives. Shared values and aspirations are crucial for maintaining a united front. Without them, the foundation of your relationship can start to crack. A survey by the Pew Research Center highlighted that shared priorities are essential for relationship satisfaction. Researcher Dr. Juliana Horowitz emphasized that couples who align in their goals and values report higher levels of happiness. It's crucial to regularly check in with each other to ensure your priorities are still in sync. This alignment creates a sense of partnership and purpose within the marriage. When was the last time you discussed the future with your spouse? If long-term plans are never on the table, you may be navigating a situationship. Without shared dreams and aspirations, a relationship can become stagnant. Future planning is an investment in your partnership, signaling commitment and shared purpose. The absence of future discussions can indicate a lack of direction and shared vision. Planning together creates anticipation and excitement, reinforcing your bond. Without this, your relationship might feel like it's stuck in a perpetual state of limbo. Reignite the conversation about your future and explore what you both want moving forward. Do you often find yourself handling life's challenges alone, despite being married? If so, you might be in a situationship where you're doing the heavy lifting solo. Marriage is meant to be a partnership where both parties support and uplift each other. When you feel like you're single, it's a clear sign that something is amiss. Feeling like you're on your own can breed resentment and dissatisfaction. A healthy relationship requires both partners to participate and contribute to each other's well-being actively. If you're carrying the emotional load by yourself, it's time to address the imbalance. Seek ways to create a more equitable and supportive partnership. Does it seem like your interactions are more transactional than emotional? If your marriage resembles a business partnership rather than a loving relationship, it's a sign of a situationship. Emotional connections are paramount, and when they're absent, the relationship can feel hollow. A series of obligations and exchanges may have replaced the love and care that once defined your marriage. When a marriage feels transactional, it can strip away the joy and spontaneity that make relationships fulfilling. It's easy to fall into routines where you're merely going through the motions, but it's harder to break free from them. Reconnect with your partner on an emotional level, exploring what truly matters to both of you. This shift can transform a utilitarian relationship into one that is rich and rewarding. If doubt and suspicion have crept into your relationship, it might be indicative of a situationship. Trust is the cornerstone of any successful partnership, and its absence can lead to a groundswell of insecurity. When you can't rely on your partner, the foundation of your marriage begins to crumble. Rebuilding trust requires time, effort, and transparency from both parties. Erosion of trust can manifest in various ways, from questioning each other's motives to a lack of openness. In a strong relationship, trust fosters a sense of safety and understanding. Without it, misunderstandings and conflicts can spiral out of control. Address any trust issues head-on, working together to restore faith in each other's intentions. Have your shared hobbies and interests fallen by the wayside? If so, this could be a sign you're slipping into a situationship. Common interests are crucial for maintaining a sense of connection and camaraderie. Without them, the relationship can begin to feel distant and impersonal. When shared activities disappear, so do the opportunities to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed and joyful setting. This absence can create a void, where you find yourselves living parallel lives rather than intersecting ones. Reignite shared interests by exploring new hobbies or revisiting old ones together. This shared focus can rejuvenate your bond and bring back a sense of playfulness and adventure. In times of crisis, do you feel supported by your partner, or do you find yourself weathering the storm alone? The absence of emotional support can indicate a situation where the relationship lacks depth and substance. Emotional support is the bedrock of a healthy partnership, providing comfort and reassurance. Without it, you may feel isolated and overwhelmed. A lack of emotional support can lead to feelings of loneliness and detachment. It's essential to create an environment where both partners feel heard and valued. By actively providing emotional support, you can foster a sense of security and belonging within the marriage. This foundation is key to navigating the inevitable challenges life throws your way. Do you hesitate to share your thoughts and feelings with your husband, fearing judgment or indifference? This reluctance can be a telltale sign of a situationship within marriage. Open communication is vital for emotional intimacy and mutual understanding. Without it, the relationship can feel superficial and unfulfilling. When you're afraid to speak up, it can create an atmosphere of tension and frustration. A healthy relationship encourages vulnerability and openness, allowing both partners to feel valued and understood. Break down the barriers by fostering a safe space for dialogue and expression. Rebuilding trust in communication can strengthen your bond and ensure you feel seen and heard.
Japan Times
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Toyota's Hino Motors pleads guilty to U.S. emissions fraud, fined $1.6 billion
Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, pleaded guilty on Wednesday over a multiyear emissions fraud scheme in the United States and must pay $1.6 billion in penalties, the U.S. Justice Department said. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Goldsmith in Detroit accepted the Japanese truck and engine manufacturer's guilty plea and sentenced the company to pay a fine of $521.76 million and serve five years of probation during which it will be prohibited from importing diesel engines it manufactured into the United States. The court also entered a $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment against the company. "Companies who intentionally evade our nation's environmental laws, including by fabricating data to feign compliance with those laws, deserve punishment and will be held criminally accountable," said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's acting enforcement chief Jeffrey Hall. Toyota declined to comment and Hino did not respond immediately to a request for comment. In January, Hino said it would plead guilty over excess engine emissions in more than 105,000 vehicles in the United States from 2010 through 2022. A company-commissioned panel said in 2022 Hino had falsified emissions data on some engines going back to at least 2003. The settlement includes a mitigation program, valued at $155 million, to offset excess air emissions from the violations by replacing marine and locomotive engines, and a recall program, valued at $144.2 million, to fix engines in 2017-2019 heavy-duty trucks, the EPA said earlier. Hino admitted that between 2010 and 2019, it used "illicit short-cuts" and submitted false applications for engine certification approvals and altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. Hino President Satoshi Ogiso said in January the company had improved its internal culture, oversight and compliance practices. Hino said in January it booked an extraordinary loss of ¥230 billion, or about $1.54 billion, in its second quarter results in October to cover the expected litigation costs. Over the last decade, several automakers admitted to selling vehicles with excess diesel emissions. Volkswagen paid more than $20 billion in fines, penalties and settlements after it admitted in 2015 it had cheated emissions tests by installing "defeat devices" and sophisticated software in nearly 11 million vehicles globally.
