Exploring the bane of
the modern lifestyle

Hom’ like
their ancestors
the primates, are social
animals. Throughout the
evolution of mankind, humans
have stayed in groups, tribes,
and communities. Social contact
with other people is what makes us
human and lays the very foundation
for the concept of humanity. Feral
children have proven this time and
again. Because they were raised by
animals without any human interaction,
they not only behave and think like animals
but they also show signs indicating they don’t
realize that they can do unique things because
of their physical capabilities and limitations.
We have come a long way from our ancient
social structure, where we fought for territories
with neighbouring tribes and lived in caves,
but our emotions are just the same. We
feel happy to see familiar faces, get excited
to see things we like or find interesting,
feel intimidated by sudden intrusions from
strangers, and feel sad when we get hurt.
All these emotions and feelings are prevalent
not simply because we are biologically tuned
like that, but also because we live with people,
and we panic if this essential contact lessens.
Recent studies have shown that many health issues
like heart problems, especially in elderly people, are
linked to loneliness or loss of social connectivity. Anxiety,
desperation, and depression are largely caused when people
are unable to express themselves, just because they have no
one to talk to. Simple gestures like handshakes and smiles
can make anyone who feels lonely very comfortable.

In her article “Life of Solitude,” published in the Globe
and Mail, writer Elizabeth Renzetti claimed: “In Vancouver,
residents recently listed social isolation as their most
pressing concern. More Canadians than ever
live alone, and almost one-quarter describe

themselves as lonely. In the United States,
two studies showed that 40 per cent

of people say they’re lonely, a figure
that has doubled in 30 years.”

These statistics show that
loneliness is a prevalent phenomenon
that is increasing rapidly. It is
affecting our society in an unusual

way, and we are failing to realize the
gravity of the situation. Let’s evaluate
our own situations and ask ourselves a

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

few

questions. Do
I go out a lot to cheer
myself up? Do I speak a lot
whenever I get the chance to? Can
I talk to someone about my feelings
without feeling hesitant? Do I take time
to catch up with my old friends? These
questions do not have a right or a wrong
answer, neither can they be answered with a
“yes” or “no” without being followed by a “but.”
Most of us may not agree that we are alone,
despite experiencing the despair. Professor Ami
Rokach, a psychologist and a lecturer at York
University in Toronto, told Renzetti, “There is such a
stigma about it. People will talk about
having depression or even schizophrenia,
but [...] I’ve been practicing for
more than 30 years, and never has
anyone come to me and said, ‘I feel
lonely.’ But then they start talking,
and it comes out.” Why do we
feel so hesitant or embarrassed
to accept that we are alone?
Psychologists have discovered
that people who feel lonely also feel
rejected, reports NewRepublic.com.
The unwillingness to acknowledge
rejection and other shortcomings
is one of the major reasons
behind our denial of loneliness.
Another reason is that we
don’t want to be judged.
We are so caught up
in our busy lifestyles that
demand 40-50 hours of
weekly work shifts to fulfill
} our basic needs, extensive
study hours to get better
grades, and weekends to catch
up on lost sleep. Relationships
have become so delicate and
often don’t survive, again
due to the vicious cycle
of work-home-work. This
again, leads to one common
consequence: loneliness.
We all crave for someone
who understands us and will
always be there for us, but not
many can brag about having one.