Going in the opposite direction, this means it's generally becoming more likely for the people you meet (even if you meet very briefly) to not have any real close friends, people to hang out with, etc. Therefore, if you're feeling lonely yourself, it sounds like a great idea to ask a bunch of people you meet to all hang out together. It might give everyone some relief.

I've been on the fence about trying to put together a friend group and see who fits at my new workplace, since I started with a bunch of other newbies that seemed relatively nervous. I think I'll ask them if they wanna hang out.