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Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#31
post #18
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This could do with a sign up so I can get a reminder when it launches. I am guaranteed to forget about it by then otherwise.

do you think email sign up would be preferrable? I was thinking it's better to get people to follow the Instagram account so I can reach them when I launch

That severely cuts the potential audience. I don't use Instagram. It doesn't even provide RSS feeds as an alternative.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#32

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

"State organized" social security IS a social network / safety net. Though it might not feel like one. I may be misreading this but your wording - "State organized" social security - sounds as if it's some kind of alien institution imposed on us by martians. I see it more like a system created by all of us through a social democratic process.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#33

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

What's your proposed solution? Cut everyones working hours, abolish social welfare, and make everyone poor so they need to rely on their extended family?

> What's your proposed solution? Cut everyones working hours, abolish social welfare, and make everyone poor so they need to rely on their extended family?

Hey, I'm just pointing things out that I see as a cause :) Although your proposal would help force reduce loneliness, would be a net negative for the quality of life.

The solution, or rather a set of solutions, would require a broader consensus, since it would affect the way we are as a society. At this point, I'm not even sure I have the solution on the society level.

Maybe the evolution of societies would fix it?

Maybe when the problem becomes worse, we would be pressed to fix it to some extent?

Or the societies that have better social approach would thrive and our western world will either accept the new ways and adapt, or go into the sad obsolescence.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#34

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

>"State organized" social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. Before this, people just died. Hard to be lonely when you're dead.

People have lost touch with the reason systems were put in place. It's no wonder there's so much enthusiasm for eradicating and privatizing them. Some people see profit and not enough people understand why it's a problem until it's too late.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#35
Since lockdowns, I hate everybody. I just broke up with the idea that we are a society. No, we’re just insane people who are eating at other people’s sanity, using lockdowns as a means to dismantle our fellow citizen.

How to become homeless when you start millionaire and CEO of a small/moderate company? Well this is the first and main step, because on any major problem, you are alone and no-one is going to testify in your favor. Especially if you genuinely wouldn’t mind if everyone went to hell for the hell they’re causing me.

Sure, my parents. But my parents are the ones who vote for locking up everyone and mandating social isolation. So their love stops at mandated lockdowns. Their love, and the same goes for 90% of my fellow citizen, their love and social fabric stops at giving you a hell if a time to deal with.

Same goes for feminism. Everyone likes feminism! Men commit suicide at 5x the rate? Not a problem! Men work themselves till death while women enjoy choice, choice of careerS, choice of being a mother while the husband provides, choice of sexualizing their body? Must be their sexism! Men have little choice and become insane? It’s their fault! Let’s clearly not provide resources to fight men’s workaholism!

I hate people. I really hate all my fellow citizen who cheer happily at the idea of stopping the economy, and lockdowns drove me practically insane. If they took my job away, I wouldn’t have passed the winter. And they were this close to taking our jobs away.

I’m trying to make good use of my money (buying a house, giving myself a chance) but I’m writing this so people understand the depth of the ordeal, especially for people who don’t have the extreme luxury that I have with having enough money for such a project (I’ve earnt every bit of it, but other people have worked just as much and didn’t meet success).

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#36

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

You seem to have a slight partisan political bent, but regardless, what do you want to do? Force people to be friends? The social safety net exists for the thousands (millions?) of people who don't have family or friends to take care of them. This isn't a problem that goes away by making people interact with each other.

COVID-19 isolation wasn't fearmongering, it was a necessary step for countries that didn't get tracing, testing, and masking up to appropriate levels at the beginning. It didn't help the isolation problem, but it also wasn't fearmongering.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#37

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

"State organized" social security IS a social network / safety net. Though it might not feel like one. I may be misreading this but your wording - "State organized" social security - sounds as if it's some kind of alien institution imposed on us by martians. I see it more like a system created by all of us through a social democratic process.

By "state organized" I wanted to emphasize that it's organized by the faceless institution. Lead by legislation and bureaucracy. As opposed to actual neighbours, co-workers, family and fellow union members with whom one has to collaborate (socially interact) to help to get help.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#38

It's known since the humanity exists that humans are social creatures, yet we as a society don't do anything to promote social interaction between people. Actually, we are actively suppressing real social contact due to the way our society is set up. - "State / faceless institution" organized social security, reducing the need of social network / safety net. - The rise of "social media" leading to less social interac…

State organized social security means that folks have the choice to do things like not have children and can leave abusive situations without having to worry about starving in old age: It also means that folks aren't necessarily forced to quit work to take care of their grandparents and that folks without a safety net actually have one.

It doesn't reduce the need of a social network, and it is there because the 'organic' safety net doesn't work well enough.

I have more social interaction because of different kinds of social media and more options for types of social interaction! I can play games with others without being at their house. I wish the internet was this developed when I was young, and am a bit envious of kids today because chances are, they can find a small group of people that don't make them feel horrible.

People have been spreading fear through media since any sort of media existed. Through most of history, you couldn't call them on their bs, though, since even if you were literate, you usually didn't have access to any other source of information.

You know, talking to strangers is sometimes just a cultural difference. People don't talk to strangers without reason where I am (Norway) - and I gotta tell you, it is great. I can now walk down the street without having to wave at whoever waves to me like I did in the US. Not only that, but a lot of folks talk to strangers... on the internet. Which is totally different, since you know that anyone posting on the internet wants to - in some aspect - interact with other humans.

Family is only good if they are, well, good. But we've seen throughout history that family doesn't always have good intentions. Some families are abusive, both physically and sexually. Some will force strict gender roles on their kids (no, child, you can't play baseball! You are a girl and should be cleaning). Some will send kids through questionable therapies to 'fix' their queer child or beat their child for dating outside their "race". They might expect to choose your spouse for you. I mean, this stuff happens now, even with the "reduced necessity and dependence".

I agree that we aren't tackling social isolation! I'm pretty sure we could let folks work less and improve everyone's standard of living by making sure the safety net is strong enough for more people to afford hobbies and playing sports and going places socially. I don't agree that automation is problem, though, but more that it is one of the solutions to making life better.

The Covid-19... we are not starting from the same set of agreed upon facts here.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#39
post #18
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This could do with a sign up so I can get a reminder when it launches. I am guaranteed to forget about it by then otherwise.

do you think email sign up would be preferrable? I was thinking it's better to get people to follow the Instagram account so I can reach them when I launch

I would recommend putting a large amount of effort into email. Email is the channel you own forever. Your Instagram followers are subject to Facebooks whims and they are not a company to be trusted.

Re: Loneliness a 'bigger health risk than smoking or obesity'

#40
post #20
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice. I understand what you're trying to say with that title on your website, but I kind of disagree. Just because you have online friends doesn't mean that they're not "real" friends.

in my opinion, having friends that you can meet up with and hang out in person >>>>>>> online friends. it's a night and day difference. you can still feel lonely if you talk to a bunch of people online but don't meet anyone face to face. but to each their own.

Yes, that's absolutely true. At the same time I've had some really strong friendships online. It's easier to find people who you really click with.
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