This is a very good breakdown of the loneliness problem. Mandy describes the multifaceted problem and the small steps we can take to start solving it for ourselves.
My biggest takeaway? The things that contribute to the problem layer upon one another. Things like remote work can be a contributing factor, but adjusting to limit that contribution is often hindered by a lack of third spaces, work taking up too much of our time, etc.
Think about it. It would be easier to become a regular at a coffee shop if there weren’t so many work meetings during the day. Or to take part in a weekly class, if I could be certain that I wouldn’t be caught working late and miss it.
Add in some additional stressors, like political divisions, living in bigger houses, being more disconnected from neighbors, being online because everything is so far away, with less time to get there, and everything that we would do to combat loneliness gets that much harder.
It requires so much more effort to even have basic interactions anymore. We’ve spent decades designing society this way. It’s not just a personal failing; it’s the entire system. Changing the system can’t be done by one person. But Mandy has some small steps we can take, and if enough people start taking them, maybe we can make some progress and shift the design toward something less lonely.
https://thoughtsonlifeandlove.com/the-loneliness-epidemic/101092/
Read the whole thing, and let us know what small steps you are planning to take.