Epidemic or Clickbait?

[Ravenshire]

I do think this is a real topic of concern, and it's not pretentious to want to discuss it. The links you provided have been deleted, but it's easy enough to Google and find similar research studies.

In May of 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory titled "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation" through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The World Health Organization (WHO) in November 2023 declared loneliness a "global public health concern." Both of these are on line.

Both The Lancet Psychiatry and a publication called Perspectives on Psychological Science have published scientific studies on how loneliness affects health and mortality. 

So it's real.


I do think that small-c conservative values helped to work against loneliness. Prioritizing family, community, the Golden Rule, all those good things. Having empathy for one's neighbors and staying on good terms, even if they voted differently. These days it sometimes seems as if family or neighbors on the other side of the political divide must be shunned and shamed. 

We've been taught to hate.

Years ago before we had the Internet I used to go and hang out at a little art gallery in my town. It was very amateurish, anybody could have a show, but it was run by a personable young lady. There was a big table in the middle of the room and at any given time there were likely to be a dozen people sitting around drinking green tea. It was a very low pressure way to have a social life -- you drop in, you wander off. People introduce you to others. After a while one of the regulars begins to stand out and you think "Oh, I could spend time with her." And then 30 years later we're still joyfully married. It's not like dating apps where (I imagine) you feel like you're in a job interview, being evaluated for suitability. 

By the way, there is a site called religiousforums.com where the moderators encourage discussion. Several people who used to post here are over there now. Despite the name there are a lot of atheists and non-religious topics. If you are made to feel unwelcome on the present site you might give that place a try.

Which moderator discouraged discussion?

And why are you here?  I keep asking.  You hate the majority of us but still show up on the regular.

(my bold)

To blow Russian smoke up our collective ass?!?