Loneliness is a widespread problem with complex roots.
There has been a quiet pandemic developing while most people's attention has been on covid-19. The lockdown has worsened a problem that has been spreading in many developed nations for decades: loneliness.
It is a complex issue which covers not only social lives, but the way you work and the way you vote. Noreena Hertz, an academic, deals with the subject in an important new book, "The Lonely Century". Loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, strokes and dementia(痴呆症). Those who say they are lonely are likelier to be depressed five years later. In addition, lonely people can become more hostile towards others and more attracted to extremist politics.
Part of the problem stems from contemporary employment. Globally, two in five office workers feel lonely at work. This rises to three in five in Britain. Gig-economy(零工经济)jobs can leave people with insecure incomes and without the companionship of colleagues. The pandemic has made it more difficult to make, and maintain friendships, particularly for new employees.
Ms. Hertz points her finger at other recent developments. One of them is social media. The internet has led to much cyber-bullying (although it has also been a source of companionship during the lockdown). And people glued to their smartphones spend less time interacting socially.
Some changes in behavior are caused by individual choice Before the pandemic no one was stopping people going to church or taking part in sports. They simply preferred to do other things. American fathers spend three times as much time with their children as they did in the 1960s. That is surely a welcome development.
So recreating a communal society may be difficult. When the pandemic ends, people may enjoy the chance to be with their neighbors and colleagues for a while. But the trend is clear. Technology means that people can get their entertainment at home, and work there, too. It is convenient but it also leads to loneliness.
