Best Friends Forever...Not?

Just in time for those burgeoning hermits! The book Friendship : An Expose by Joseph Epstein might be an appropriate reference as it discusses the decline of friendship in today's society. Epstein is interviewed by the Post which mentions that the rise of spouse- as- best- friend and the childcentric culture (plus technology, of course) as possible causes. The only thing is, Epstein doesn't know how to defriend someone:

Q: How do you ditch a friend?

A: Breaking up friendships, I find, is very hard to do. I only do it when given a strong motive. I have a friend who's become extremely boring. The problem is, he has a good heart. There should be a Hallmark card.

Read this Observer review of the book; the review raises some interesting points about that book that make us want to get it. Or at least browse it while we're at Barnes and Noble.