A Wall Street Journal review of a timely book written before the time of the coronavirus. It feels pretty accurate to me.
Some highlights of the review: “Dr. Murthy begins by highlighting research showing that isolation is not our natural state: We evolved as social beings. “Humans have survived as a species,” he writes, “not because we have physical advantages like size, strength, or speed, but because of our ability to connect in social groups. We exchange ideas. We coordinate goals. We share information and emotions.” “It follows that when we’re not routinely socializing, we feel that something is amiss. Researchers have found three “dimensions” of loneliness, Dr. Murthy reports: “intimate” (wanting a spouse or confidant), “relational” (seeking close friendships) and “collective” (desiring a community with common interests). To thrive, we need to find the right approach to each of them, and loneliness can result if even one is left unfulfilled.” “As for the surge in loneliness amid an array of social-media tools, Dr. Murthy acknowledges the value of platforms such as Facebook for specific tasks, such as finding old friends and organizing people with shared interests. And he cites research showing that an hour or two of daily screen time for children is harmless. (No screen time at all, he says, can lead to children feeling excluded, given that their peers are online.) But he notes that social-media platforms suck up precious time by preying on the human desire for novelty. For children and adults alike, he warns that technol-ogy offers fleeting benefits, threatening to replace meaningful friendships with superficial attachments.” |
Monday, May 25, 2020
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