Due to many circumstances in my life, I have considered living alone for the rest of my life. I like being alone, and I am used to it. My parents divorced since I was 8 years old and I am the only son.
I am considering to rent an apartment and start living by myself, with the economical support of my parents. I am a university student.
This made me remember some quots about Schopenhauer about living alone such as “A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.” Many philosophers have mentioned the pleasure of loneliness. But is it true, that a man can find comfort completely by his own?
Recently I was reading a book of Robert Ingersoll, and he said that the pleasures of living alone are only found in books, but that reality is different. It shocked me. I did not consider that possibility.
Now lets talk about biology. Our bodies are made to receive the touch of someone else. Hugging, kissing, love. All of that is necessary for the human development. Scientifically proven. Can we really achieve a good life without satisfying the needs of our body? If Schopenhauer knew about these physiological facts, would have he changed his mind?
A country like Sweden, in which half the people live alone and 1 out of 4 dies alone, is the 3rd country of Europe that consumes more anti-depressives. A country like Japan in which people do not marry and avoid relationships with the opposite sex, has one of the highest suicide rates. I know this is not the only cause of suicide, but it definitely contributes. Japan has a whole industry to satisfy the sexual and emotional needs of people living alone, mainly men.
What do you think, then? Can we really live alone and be relatively happy? Can we overcome our physical needs, or are we chained to them? Can ideals of independance and the needs of the flesh coexist?
I am considering to rent an apartment and start living by myself, with the economical support of my parents. I am a university student.
This made me remember some quots about Schopenhauer about living alone such as “A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.” Many philosophers have mentioned the pleasure of loneliness. But is it true, that a man can find comfort completely by his own?
Recently I was reading a book of Robert Ingersoll, and he said that the pleasures of living alone are only found in books, but that reality is different. It shocked me. I did not consider that possibility.
Now lets talk about biology. Our bodies are made to receive the touch of someone else. Hugging, kissing, love. All of that is necessary for the human development. Scientifically proven. Can we really achieve a good life without satisfying the needs of our body? If Schopenhauer knew about these physiological facts, would have he changed his mind?
A country like Sweden, in which half the people live alone and 1 out of 4 dies alone, is the 3rd country of Europe that consumes more anti-depressives. A country like Japan in which people do not marry and avoid relationships with the opposite sex, has one of the highest suicide rates. I know this is not the only cause of suicide, but it definitely contributes. Japan has a whole industry to satisfy the sexual and emotional needs of people living alone, mainly men.
What do you think, then? Can we really live alone and be relatively happy? Can we overcome our physical needs, or are we chained to them? Can ideals of independance and the needs of the flesh coexist?
