In America, even high school friendships don't last beyond graduation.

[Mercury]

You may have hung out with them in the hallways or in the parking lot especially before and after school, in the cafeteria during lunch hour, had a class or two together, or been in a club. But then the dreaded high school graduation comes and terminates the friendship dead in it's tracks like a derailed train. You watch as months, then years, then decades go by without any contact at all. No phone calls, no emails, no text messages, nothing. You even try to contact the friend only to get no reply ever. And then you get the picture.

The friendship is over. And it was over at high school graduation.

Even if you two go to the same college, they don't pick up where they left off. Conversations that were once about fun become strictly business only. They no longer want to hang out with you anymore. Not even in the student lounge or the college cafeteria. You even notice that the college cafeteria is as quiet as a cave, and you are used to your high school cafeteria loaded with conversation with about the same noise level as a lawnmower. You might see some of them at your ten year reunion, but they are different. Closed and cliquish. Sometimes they may act like they are happy to see you. But when the reunion is over, it's back to them being distant and anti social. And you know you won't see them until the next reunion if they even go, for even if they live in the same metro area, they will never make time to take you out for lunch or to go see a movie. It's no wonder even high school friendships are a facade.

In America, once you graduate high school, you are expected to keep to yourself, be a stranger and stay a stranger, stay completely out of everyone else's life, and mind your own business.

[zboy1]

America is a very socially-isolated country, as are most other Anglo countries such as Canada, Australia, etc. It's due to the prevalence of Anglo culture which promotes individualism over group thinking, which as both good and bad points.