Billionaire investor Bill Ackman expressed his delight on Wednesday regarding the viral response to his dating advice shared on X over the weekend. He hopes this will inspire more genuine connections in a time when social media seems to foster isolation.
Ackman mentioned in a post on Saturday, “Our online culture has eroded our ability to meet strangers spontaneously.” He shared that, when he was younger, he would simply ask someone he found appealing, “Can I meet you?” Remarkably, he noted that he rarely faced rejection.
This post garnered significant attention, with over 3.6 million views, 25,000 likes, and 4,400 shares. Ackman pointed out during an interview on “Mornings with Maria” that many individuals spend their time at home watching curated lives on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. He emphasized the importance of real human interaction.
Ackman linked the decrease in face-to-face interactions to broader societal issues, such as declining birth rates and increasing feelings of loneliness. “When considering global population decline, social media seems to be a primary factor,” he remarked.
With an estimated net worth of $9 billion, the CEO of Pershing Square has reiterated that his strategies work and that his life transformed after meeting his wife, Neri Oxman, eight years ago.
He expressed gratitude, stating, “I feel like I’m one of the luckiest individuals, having met an incredible woman and now being a father to four daughters. None of this would have happened through online means.” Ackman noted that he found his method most impactful while traveling.
“When you’re in transit—whether on a plane, elevator, escalator, subway—anything that moves makes you more open to connection. It serves as a great conversation starter,” he shared.
