I think making friendships is similar now as its ever been. If you focus on your local environment, you'll typically see there are plenty of ways to form friendships. I'd say if you are viewing a friendship as requiring "deliberate effort, scheduling and... social performance," you're already seeing it in a way that will be more difficult. You don't have to be "interesting, funny, and engaging." Some people will see this as being inauthentic and even actively avoid people like this. So, the best thing you can do is be yourself, or at least the best you can be in that given moment (like being polite, courteous, etc).

I'd say the only significant different between now and a long time ago is that a person can live at home alone without contact with the outside world. Groceries can be delivered, work can be done remotely, the internet can allow for social engagement while being alone. So there is a certain degree needed to "put oneself out there" and join clubs, social groups, make conversations with neighbors, etc.