The Cost of Overconnection
Trying to maintain more relationships than our brains can handle comes at a price: emotional burnout and shallow social bonds. The pressure to keep up — birthdays, chats, updates — triggers social fatigue and, paradoxically, loneliness.
Sociologists call this the “connection paradox”: the more networks we build, the less depth we experience within them. Quality, not quantity, sustains psychological well-being.
Summary
The Dunbar Number isn’t a constraint; it’s a design principle. It explains why small teams innovate better, why tight-knit friend groups endure, and why meaningful connection still happens offline.
So don’t feel guilty for trimming your social circle. You’re not anti-social — you’re neurologically optimized. 150 might not sound like much in a world of infinite connections, but it’s enough to build a full and emotionally rich life.
Published on Oct 25, 2025
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