upworthy

male friendships

@mirandafaye/TikTok

“Proof men need more platonic love in their lives."

What started out as a silly phone prank has turned into an incredibly wholesome TikTok trend—which some are saying might help heal male loneliness.

On May 16, a woman named Miranda filmed her husband calling a few of his buddies just to wish them goodnight. As you can probably expect, the dudes were quite stunned.

“Why? Are you thinking of me for real?” one says, flabbergasted. “God damn I love you too […] I don’t know what to say; you caught me off guard.”

“Uhhhhh…excuse me? Sweet dreams?” asked another, in shock.

The clip quickly went mega viral, racking up three million views. But more importantly, viewers agreed that it actually filled a very real need.

“Proof men need more platonic love in their lives,” wrote one person

Another added, “This is gonna heal the male loneliness epidemic.”

Pretty soon, the trend caught on, with all kinds of guys calling their bros to wish them a good night. Sure, it’s funny to watch—the “WTF?” reactions are pretty priceless—but also undeniably sweet in its own way.

@beefingwiththeblacks Should he post the other ones..? 😬😅😂 @Juss_inTimeHD🦎⏰ @Josh Mukendi @callmeCollins.h.d.c IB: @Sammy D #couplescomedy #friends #homeboy #goodnight #sleeptight #bedtime #sweetdreams ♬ original sound - Mr&MrsBlack


@sydsacks I’ve been cracking up at this trend so I made Peter call his besties to say goodnight 🤪 #goodnight #besties ♬ original sound - syd


@wendyxjason Goodnight trend had me balling - proud of our friends ❤️😭 #goodnighttrend #goodnightprank#fypシ ♬ original sound - WendyxJason

Even celebrities have hopped on board. Boxer Jake Paul filmed himself wishing a goodnight to streamer Adin Ross. Meanwhile, Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil called up his NFL teammates Jayden Daniels and Sam Hartman, who called him “bonkers.”

@selianacarvalho At least they were all concerned 😭 #nfl #commanders #httc #funny ♬ original sound - Seli

With each new video, new comments supporting the trend came rolling in as well.

“NORMALIZE THIS TYPE OF MALE BEHAVIOR.””

“My favorite trend.”

“I’m convinced this trend is gonna save someone’s life when they’re at their lowest.”

And perhaps this theory isn’t so far off. After all, men in the US, especially those under 35, have been ranked as the loneliest demographic in the entire world, according to a recent Gallup poll. This is due to a variety of societal factors, including both the expectation for men to be strong and independent (i.e. misunderstood stoicism), as well as the encouragement for men to focus on money and success rather than building close friendships.

Add to that an increasingly more digital world, which has led many men to seek belonging in, as psychotherapist Justin Yong put it in his interview with Fortune Well, “toxic digital occupiers like gaming and porn.” This "manosphere," as many call it, might give a “short term dopamine hit,” but ultimately “replaces real intimacy and acts as a barrier to being vulnerable to how they might be feeling,” he explained.

So, call it a frivolous viral trend, but it could also be a sign to give your homie a call tonight. It could help build much needed human connection, or, at the very least, it’ll give you a good laugh.