Modern life creating 'Eleanor Rigby' generation

The article below is specifically about the UK, but I'm sure the same can be said for most if not all other developed nations.

There is no doubt people are more lonely and isolated than ever. Even familes and people living together spend more time isolated from each other.

I'm lucky enough not to live alone, but I see so much lonliness around me.

Then again, some people are happier alone and probably better off that way. Solitude can have enormous spiritual and intellectual rewards. But I don't think solitude is the norm for everybody.

Are you lonely? Are others around you lonely? And what if anything should be done about it?

Modern life creating 'Eleanor Rigby' generation of lonely Britons

One in 10 Britons often feel isolated and half think that people are getting lonelier in general, according to research released by the Mental Health Foundation...

Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "Changes to the way we live are putting an increasing number of people at risk of loneliness, which can lead to health problems if chronic. ...

...Another indicator of the trend is the rising divorce rate, which almost doubled in the past 50 years.

The research, published in The Lonely Society?, found that women are more prone to feeling detached, like the lonely character in The Beatles' song Eleanor Rigby.

Figures also showed one in three people would like to live closer to their family.

More at source:
www.telegraph.co.uk...

And a very important point. While many people are comfortable with being alone, loneliness can be a devastating condition for people. Most people will seek out a form of cultural identity that is recognizable and accepted to others, If such a thing can not be found within a main culture, it will be sought in a sub-culture.

We can observe this by examining political parties, social networking sites and even the commonality and brotherhood felt like with co-workers and even between members here at ATS in which there is typically no physical interaction.

Given our size of membership, smaller groups form like those that frequent chat and formally mutter.

Even the stereotypical cat-lady could be seeking identity within the herd of cats. Although collection mentality often plays a role.

A good article with points to lead to thought.

reply to post by silent thunder


Dont worry. The socialist state known as the UK will just mandate that you MUST make friends with everyone in your village.

I live alone and wouldn't have it any other way. Had room mates before and it was hell. I need complete silence and darkness in order to sleep properly. Also require large sums of time to "decompress". All I have to do is walk less than 1,000 ft and there's a bar I'm a local at.

I'm usually alone, but rarely lonely.

Originally posted by unityemissions
I live alone and wouldn't have it any other way. Had room mates before and it was hell. I need complete silence and darkness in order to sleep properly. Also require large sums of time to "decompress". All I have to do is walk less than 1,000 ft and there's a bar I'm a local at.

I'm usually alone, but rarely lonely.

I like that little line at the bottom..ha

Anyways...your avy is amazing. you paint that?

reply to post by silent thunder


But what are other people for?

It's like that line in "Mexican Radio" ...

"I buy the product, and never use it"

Originally posted by StraightMassa
reply to post by silent thunder

 

Dont worry. The socialist state known as the UK will just mandate that you MUST make friends with everyone in your village.

Are you for real? Or just being sarcastic?

Google 'socialism' and then google 'UK politics' and then google 'socialism' again and repeat until you figure it out what you are trying to say...

reply to post by mr-lizard



Well,my good chap,the gentleman does not need to do all that "googling" now does he.

All one has to do is search for History of socialism in Great Britain..

It will tell any American what we already know.

Great Britain is a socialist country.

It have lot of to do with collapse of traditional family. Family clan/tribe disappeared. Now we have just "nuclear" families (parents+children). This development have great impact on generational misunderstanding.

Dont normally share things like this but this post hit home. Yes, im lonely. I split with my wife of 13 years and i HATE being alone. Its sent me into depression and to the point where i almost and i mean almost did something really stupid to end things. I sought medical help and the pills helped for a while but every so often the dark thoughts return. Last night was another bad night for some reason. Its maybe not a blokey thing to admit but i just wanted a woman there to hold, to be with.

I cant afford to go to the pub everynight, family not that close and most of my friends not on my doorstep either. Loneliness is a terrible terrible thing and the ironic thing is, im not alone in my loneliness, more and more people are going through the same thing. Outwardly im bright and bubbly but when i get home from work sometimes and im just sat in my house talking to myself it can really come on top.

Eleanor Rigby, i like that term

reply to post by expatwhite


What an excellent, concrete post.
I wish I had a tangible benefit I could confer for talking right because I do think you talked right just there.

Not that you're asking but I do think the antidote for most undesired feelings is a project of some kind, either creative art or building/learning something particular and difficult...I think it almost always works, if you do it right, yessir, okay cool.

reply to post by silent thunder


I think people definitely are lonely in our generation. Connecting to each other over the internet takes the place of regular human interaction. Its sad.

Also, Eleanor Rigby is a favorite song of mine and I recently sang it during karaoke at a local bar.