Ideas & Trends: The Lonely American Just Got a Bit Lonelier

Ideas & Trends: The Lonely American Just Got a Bit Lonelier: "Americans are not only lacking in bowling partners, now they're lacking in people to tell their deepest, darkest secrets."

The article mentions that much of this lack of connection is blamed on lack of time. Everyone is so busy with their own lives and problems. I guess I would admit that this sadly is true in my case as well. DVDs, TV and Internet are pretty poor substitutes for living breathing human companionship, however, they can be easily banished when the mood strikes whereas banishing your human friends can lead to problems.

I suppose this loneliness is no so much a problem if that is the choice people are making consciously. I am reminded of the quote from Sister Wendy (a person on TV), something like: Loneliness: it needs. Solitude: it has.

The other thought is the possibility that people generally make poorer friends than in the past, sort of the "don't make friends like they used to" commentary. Without much of a real reference point, I'm not sure. Perhaps, I should ask older people about this. People have spoken about lack of civility in society in general. Is it that younger people aren't very considerate anymore? Or were they always that way? I'm sure I'm a poor examplar of the 'good friend' traits. Whenever I see an old Hollywood movie or read something from Ms. Manners, I think: I'm not so good..