If we are to address the loneliness epidemic head-on and meaningfully, we must be prepared to confront some hard truths and perhaps even jettison some previously cherished paradigms.
This past weekend, PBS NewsHour’s Ali Rogin sat down with Edward Garcia, the vice chairman of the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness, to discuss the scope of the epidemic as well as ways to combat it.
Garcia did not hesitate to cite the American ethos of “hyper-individualism” as a leading cause. We spend far too much time “looking at our differences rather than what bonds us together,” he explained.
To be sure, individualism is a net good and is, without question, something in which to take pride. America was built on a foundation of liberalism (lowercase “l”) that granted primacy to individual liberty and meritocracy over collectivism and random egalitarianism. This is good, and should always remain an integral part of what it means to be an American.
But what if individualism is left unfettered? What if we are to engage in the dreaded “hyper-individualistic” lifestyle? This is a perilous slope. One that leads to a sort of insularity which will invariably preclude us from much-needed social connection.
We can see this hyper-individualism manifest in our social-media use. “Hyper-tailored media consumption on online platforms,” Garcia explained, is facilitating the creation of our own “alternative universes.” This behavior, in effect, envelops us in a microcosm of otherness rather than an interconnected community of what Robert Putnam often refers to as “we-ness.”
So, what are we to do?
While I don’t think that forgoing social media altogether is necessary, I do think a curtailment would be advantageous. Garcia remarked that studies out of Europe show a positive correlation between increased social-media use and feelings of loneliness. While Garcia himself did not recommend reducing your screen time as a prescriptive measure, it seems only logical to me.
Social media, after all, are a reflection of us as consumptive individuals. Just log into your Instagram account, for example. What you’ll find is an amalgam of reels, advertisements, and memes — all catered to your personal liking. Social media are all about the “I.” There is little “we.”
Garcia goes on to credit other countries with appointing “ministers to loneliness.” That’s all hogwash to me; it’s lazy and performative. What we need to do instead is face some harsh truths and engage in some serious introspection: We are too individualized. What’s more, we are too consumptive.
Humans are not just homo economicus; we are also selfless and social creatures with a yearning for belonging and greater purpose. A reduction in the time we spend bickering with others on X or mindlessly scrolling through Instagram reels can only be good. As Gen-Zers are known to say: We ought to go outside and “touch grass.” It’s one step we can take at an individual level to address the loneliness crisis.