Created with Sora
Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
A growing number of Upper West Side men are beating back loneliness by doing something simple, free, and profoundly human: walking and talking.
Advertisement
The group, called Walking Talking Men, meets regularly in Central Park. Their mission? To create a safe, judgment-free space for men to form real friendships—something many say has been lacking in their adult lives.
“I had thought I had a lot of friends, and I did,” one participant told NBC News in a recent segment. “But when I really looked at the connections I had with them, I realized that something was missing.”
The group was launched in December 2024 by Mark Greene and Mark Wiedmann, initially just a small meetup in the city. But in less than a year, it’s evolved into a national movement, with men in cities across the country forming their own chapters.
The concept is intentionally straightforward: no fees, no formal structure, and no expertise required. The walks aren’t therapy, coaching, or networking events. They’re simply an opportunity for men to connect—about life, work, parenting, grief, joy, and everything in between.
Participants are encouraged to “be yourself,” “respect confidentiality,” and “leave politics out of it.” Some show up weekly. Others drop in when they can. There’s no attendance sheet, no expectation—just the invitation to show up and be present.
“I got a little bit of exercise for my body and for my brain and my heart too,” said one member. “It’s changed my life.”
The group’s rise comes amid growing public awareness about the health risks of social isolation. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by 26%—comparing it to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Studies have found that a significant number of men struggle with friendship in adulthood. One such report found only 27% of men have six or more close friends; 15% have none.
Advertisement
Greene, an author and speaker on masculinity and connection, co-founded the group with Wiedmann, a software engineer and father of two. The pair emphasize that Walking Talking Men is grassroots by design—run out of kitchens, not boardrooms. They urge others to start local walks in their own communities and offer support and resources through their website, walkingtalkingmen.org.
The group also has allies in the broader effort to destigmatize male loneliness. Matt Ritter and Aaron Carroll, creators of the Man of the Year podcast, suggest men follow what they call the “TCS” model: text weekly, call monthly, and see each other quarterly. “If I text Jim, Jim is not going to like it,” Ritter said, mimicking the fear many men feel. “Trust us—he’s waiting for you to text him.”
Back on the Upper West Side, Greene and the other walkers continue to lace up their sneakers and show up.
“All of the best people I’ve met in my adult life have been here in New York,” one member said. “Anyone can do this. Just walk the walk and talk the talk.”
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
that image looks like a bad print ad for a sale at The Gap
Nice concept however, they are forgetting about the many lonely men who can’t walk. They are even more lonely.
So if this is NOT a gay-specific group, is there a women’s component so that single men joining this group might meet similarly “lonely” single women? I am sure there are many of the latter. And dating sites are mostly unhelpful, and sometimes downright horrible.
The best way to meet a potential companion would be in this manner; by living in the same neighborhood, and sharing a few things in common as a result of that.
I am not suggesting they specifically turn this into a “dating” situation, but for those lonely men who remain single, and are looking for companionship (whether hetero or gay), I wonder if there is a way they could “work something in” in this regard.
I complete agree!
i’m dying that you guys used a shitty AI photo for this instead of a photo of the actual group. be so for real right now.
I want to add to my comment above (which people should read if they want to understand what I’m about to say. It’s the comment two above this one).
Some enterprising woman should start a similar group for women only. Once that group is established and solid, then perhaps once a month, the two groups could meet for a walk together, allowing mature singles to meet. Those men and women in their respective group who are already married or “not looking” can always simply continue to chat with members of their own group, while those potentially seeking a platonic relationship with someone of the opposite (or same…) sex, would be able to chat with like-minded people.
As I noted above, this is actually the BEST way to have this happen. Dating sites are mostly horrible, and meeting people in bars is really for the young.
But for a more mature crowd, meeting someone who lives in your area, and thus likely has one or two things in common with you, is actually the best and safest way to meet people. And if platonic relationships turn into companionships, or more, that would be the “natural” course.
In this way, the enterprise would not turn into a mobile “dating site,” but could nevertheless lead to possible platonic relationships and even companionships in a safe and mature manner.