2 months ago
- Americans are spending more time alone than ever, with a 20% decline in in-person socializing from 2003 to 2023, and alone time even higher in 2023 than during the pandemic.
- The privatization of leisure—driven by takeout dining, streaming services, and remote work—has transformed restaurants and entertainment into homebound, solitary experiences.
- Technology, particularly television and smartphones, has been a major driver of social withdrawal, with young people spending over 30% of waking hours on screens and experiencing declines in face-to-face interactions.
- The rise of solitude is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and political polarization, as weakened community ties foster intolerance and a 'need for chaos' among isolated individuals.
- AI companions are emerging as a potential further step into solitude, with millions already forming intimate relationships with machines, which may replace human friendships.
- Despite the trend, people often mispredict their own happiness: experiments show that talking to strangers improves well-being, and increased sociability boosts life satisfaction more than income.
- Solutions include rebuilding social infrastructure (e.g., public spaces, libraries), adopting technology selectively (like the Amish), and fostering new rituals to reverse the 'anti-social century.'