As you say, it’s a matter of perspective – and I guess also how much you feel in control. You might like solitude, but then have it enforced on you when you didn’t want and the result would be loneliness.
Very well thought through and comprehensive Ant. Over and above all the points you make, I wonder to what extent the apparent increase in loneliness may be due the greater social acceptability ( perhaps even desirability) of acknowledging vulnerability and victimhood.
Yes, that did occur to me Derek, as a factor but I thought it might complicate things within my short format. It’s hard to get the balance right there too. Sometimes we can wallow.
Hi Ant, and so live comfortably with yourself …. That sounds like a good thing to aspire to.
Thought that this musing was interesting, and pertinent to the dilemmas of life today. Certainly agree with your Polish friend who thinks that the demise of traditional religion can give rise to loneliness. I absolutely agree with this. My experience of the year round cycle of Jewish festivals, that nobody questioned, but simply turned up to celebrate, is a loss. Loss of social glue. Now it is much more difficult to arrange to see relatives, in particular nephews, niece, have to find out when they are free. In the past we didn’t fill our time so much and it was comforting to know that we would see our relatives on the Jewish New Year, for example. Not that at the time it felt comforting, but in retrospect it was. Thanks for this. Beverley
As you say, it’s a matter of perspective – and I guess also how much you feel in control. You might like solitude, but then have it enforced on you when you didn’t want and the result would be loneliness.
Author
Absolutely
Very well thought through and comprehensive Ant. Over and above all the points you make, I wonder to what extent the apparent increase in loneliness may be due the greater social acceptability ( perhaps even desirability) of acknowledging vulnerability and victimhood.
Author
Yes, that did occur to me Derek, as a factor but I thought it might complicate things within my short format. It’s hard to get the balance right there too. Sometimes we can wallow.
Hi Ant, and so live comfortably with yourself …. That sounds like a good thing to aspire to.
Thought that this musing was interesting, and pertinent to the dilemmas of life today. Certainly agree with your Polish friend who thinks that the demise of traditional religion can give rise to loneliness. I absolutely agree with this. My experience of the year round cycle of Jewish festivals, that nobody questioned, but simply turned up to celebrate, is a loss. Loss of social glue. Now it is much more difficult to arrange to see relatives, in particular nephews, niece, have to find out when they are free. In the past we didn’t fill our time so much and it was comforting to know that we would see our relatives on the Jewish New Year, for example. Not that at the time it felt comforting, but in retrospect it was. Thanks for this. Beverley
Author
Thanks for such a lovely personal comment, Beverley
Useful analysis. Perhaps a pod on ‘conviction’ before too long…but that’s just my opinion.
Author
Good idea, David. I never want to be convicted though any more than opinionated.