The Reason Why Many Of Us Feel Isolated, Lonely?

Our current society continues to breed us out of the feeling of community and support, replacing it with the perceived new ideal of complete individuality, self-sustainability and independence. Our friendship bases are dwindling down from tight knit groups of people we once spent quality time with to a sea of profiles we connect with via text, email, social media, and the internet. Our families mean less to us than they once did in past eras. With the advances in technology, we actually spend much less time seeing and interacting with people in general, as we can order most things online, from movie tickets, clothes and dinner reservations to this Friday's date. The result in this trend is that we as humans are becoming more and more isolated, lonely and self-absorbed.

Look at the difference in today's world versus that of the 50's, for example. Instead of getting together to play ball in the neighborhood, we are meeting up online to play video games with one another. Instead of the regular weekend Scrabble or poker game, we can compete against our new smart phone. Instead of going to visit grandma, we can Skype her. Don't get me wrong, technology is helpful in a lot of ways...but NOT in keeping us genuinely connected. However, it doesn't stop there. We cannot blame this breakdown solely on technology. Our actual thought process is at risk for adopting this lifestyle as the way to live. Our therapists are steering us toward all things "self"...our media is charging us with the task of individuation...our society is now impatiently expecting us to be faster, stronger, smarter and better in order to compete. We don't actually have "time" to live and be connected with other people as much as we used to because we stepped on the merry-go-round of BE STRONG and MAKE YOUR OWN MARK ON THE WORLD and SHOW NO WEAKNESS mentality. The result is a population of great people who have wonderful potential, but little support, feedback, intimate relationships. We are accomplished, but lonely and desperately seeking kindred spirits to help us navigate this thing called life. It is time for us to admit that WE NEED CONNECTION.

We are not designed to be alone. We are not meant to wake up every morning and go to work all day and come home to nothing but wine and television. We are not meant to have dreams waste away in our hearts because we have no one we feel comfortable sharing and cultivating them with. We are not meant to be eaten away by our fears and anxieties because we have no one to help us dispel them. We are not meant to view reaching out when we are in crisis as a "burden" to others. We are MEANT to love, laugh, cry and grow together. We are meant to share stories and ideas and concepts and learn from each other. We are meant to rise and fall together, and be there to celebrate or mourn the results. We are meant to be flanked by our brothers when we are going into "war". We are meant to have a community of people we share our journey with. We are meant to have a well to go to when we are drained, a compass to consult when we are lost, and someone who will recognize our flare when it soars into the sky. We are meant to feel a sense of BELONGING. The bottom line is, we are meant to experience a life full of authentic human connection. May we all give ourselves permission to seek it...

 

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Comments

[Kelitos_way]

To me, this is one of your best posts ever!!! Lots of my friends are very grateful for this post!!

[Erin Williams]

Thanks, Kelly. Well all need it, myself included. :)