Social media and its associated subcultures have become a proxy for the in person socialization our human psyches actually require. But it isn’t an adequate substitute, by any measure. I posit adolescent girls have been the hardest hit by the worsening trend of social isolation, due to their specific developmental need for social connection and personal differentiation. What others have referred to as an epidemic of loneliness is not new to the smartphone era, though the last decade has exponentially worsened it, but is more fundamentally the result of generations of economic and social restructuring.
This is a great insight, Aaron! Have you read The Coddling of the American Mind? In it, Haidt and Lukianoff provide convincing evidence that the mental health of teen girls has declined especially severely in the last decade or so.
Some of your points about loneliness also remind me of Bowling Alone, which I never actually finished before having to return to the library, but made compelling points about the collapse of civic organizations. It came out around 2000, but I think the crisis has worsened since then. I'm currently reading Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch, and it's also relevant to these challenges. It was written in the 90s, but Lasch mentioned how the decline of "third spaces" (neither home nor work) in communities prevented us from coming together and having rich conversations. I'm trying to stay optimistic that we'll all be more proactive about socializing in our communities now that the pandemic is waning, but I'm not certain about this.
I have indeed read The Coddling. Excellent necessary book. I also read I-Gen which is a book they heavily reference in that chapter. And thank you for the recommendation of Bowling Alone. It sounds like exactly the cultural trend I'm talking about. And I echo your hope for post-pandemic social engagement, but I fear the opposite may be the case. We've developed infastructure/industries due to the pandemic that allow us to basically never leave our homes. I don't see the trend reversing course. But on that cheery note (sorry lol), thank you for the comment and recomendations!
You're welcome! I wish we had more concrete data about how people plan to spend their time going forward. Personally, I'm an introvert, but the isolation got to me, and I'm making more of a deliberate effort to meet new people and hang out with others in my community than I did before COVID. I realized that having most of my social interactions occur online was bad for my mental health. But I have no idea if my experience is representative.
Ive had the same experience! Also an introvert but I developed a mild depression the latter half of last year which I realized was due to too little social interaction (I’d developed depression only once before and it was due to too much social interaction ha!) Ive made a point now to see friends/family even more than my introvert instincts would prefer. It’s vital.
Now I’m hopeful you’re right. Maybe more people will have the same realization we’ve had and will go out of their way to be with people instead of sinking into habitual isolation.
This is a great insight, Aaron! Have you read The Coddling of the American Mind? In it, Haidt and Lukianoff provide convincing evidence that the mental health of teen girls has declined especially severely in the last decade or so.
Some of your points about loneliness also remind me of Bowling Alone, which I never actually finished before having to return to the library, but made compelling points about the collapse of civic organizations. It came out around 2000, but I think the crisis has worsened since then. I'm currently reading Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch, and it's also relevant to these challenges. It was written in the 90s, but Lasch mentioned how the decline of "third spaces" (neither home nor work) in communities prevented us from coming together and having rich conversations. I'm trying to stay optimistic that we'll all be more proactive about socializing in our communities now that the pandemic is waning, but I'm not certain about this.
I have indeed read The Coddling. Excellent necessary book. I also read I-Gen which is a book they heavily reference in that chapter. And thank you for the recommendation of Bowling Alone. It sounds like exactly the cultural trend I'm talking about. And I echo your hope for post-pandemic social engagement, but I fear the opposite may be the case. We've developed infastructure/industries due to the pandemic that allow us to basically never leave our homes. I don't see the trend reversing course. But on that cheery note (sorry lol), thank you for the comment and recomendations!
You're welcome! I wish we had more concrete data about how people plan to spend their time going forward. Personally, I'm an introvert, but the isolation got to me, and I'm making more of a deliberate effort to meet new people and hang out with others in my community than I did before COVID. I realized that having most of my social interactions occur online was bad for my mental health. But I have no idea if my experience is representative.
Ive had the same experience! Also an introvert but I developed a mild depression the latter half of last year which I realized was due to too little social interaction (I’d developed depression only once before and it was due to too much social interaction ha!) Ive made a point now to see friends/family even more than my introvert instincts would prefer. It’s vital.
Now I’m hopeful you’re right. Maybe more people will have the same realization we’ve had and will go out of their way to be with people instead of sinking into habitual isolation.
Yeees. 🙌🏽