Are people more detached and lonely then 40 years ago?

Question

I feel like most people have less friends than members of previous generations. I think most people are bored, somewhat lonely, yet are afraid or unwilling to meet new people. Agree or disagree? Please explain/detial your answer.

Answer 1

Definitely more isolated than 40 yrs ago. It use to be that people stayed in their home towns where they grew up and knew everyone. Grandma and Grandpa were right down the road, if not next door. Mom and Dad, siblings, extended family and people they'd known all their lives were in the same vicinity. And I think more people were available to meet face to face and encourage friendships, as we all weren't so closed up inside our homes.

These days, air conditioning, computers, television, and the 'hurried-ness' of life, leave little room for meeting friends and growing friendships. It's not unusual to live next to door to someone for years these days, and know nothing more about them than their names.

Kids are stuck in daycare, while mom and dad work to provide such necessities as the latest 'PlayStation' games, and $90 tennis shoes. As a result, there is very little time for even the kids to make neighborhood friendships, and lessens our chances as adults to meet the parents of those friends.

Backyard BB Q's have given way to video games, Burger King parties, and Privacy fences that lock the neighborhood out, instead of bringing them in.

I miss the days of Mayberry...no sarcasm intended.

Answer 2

In general yes. It's kind of hard to make new friends because people are always trying to read ulterior motives into every attempt - especially women who mostly judge you guilty until proven innocent (IMO and IME).

Answering only for myself, no. I've always been a little lonely and shy - no more so now. But one circumstance that hurts me more than most in this regard is I am alcoholic (quit 6 1/2 years ago) - stopped too late to prevent losing most of my friends. But I keep trying anyway, knowing that new REAL friends and I will eventually find each other.

Maybe this is a lesson to all of us - push the envelope and take that risk of meeting a new friend - even if the world thinks we're crazy. What do we have to lose?

Answer 3

People are much more mobile than 40 years ago. Add to this the technology revolution and PERSONAL electronics and you have a society that is more isolated from each other. Communtiy service organizations are dying off due to lack of or low memebership levels. Attendance is down at church also. All this leads to isolation with increased depression and loneliness.

Answer 4

Lonely maybe. This Internet has made us come apart. It's easier to chat or e-mail than to sit and have a nice conversation with a cup of coffe on the side, for some of course, not for all.

Answer 5

From the reports we see, it does seem that the more people there are the more unconnected we are......the old standards of stepping out to meet your neighbor and etc are diminishing.
Even families do not seem to be as connected as before.

This is a true shame to our country and homes!

Answer 6

I agree. Technology and the breakup of the family unit have caused people to feel more isolated.

Answer 7

I agree. When I was growing up we knew all our neighbours pretty well. Now I hardly know anyone on my street. My older clients tell me of stories of how everyone used to drop in to visit and have sing-a-longs when they were young. Now we have tv and computers and don't visit people much.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Detached -- Yes -- our society is more mobile and less restrained to a small geographical area than previous generations -- and that is something that will not change.

More lonely -- (for myself) -- NO -- the problem is NOT boredom, loneliness, fear or unwillingness to meet and greet -- it is the INHERENT DANGER that is present in our society -- and the fact that Domestic Violence (and violence in general) is MORE prevalent, people are MORE AWARE of it, and more PROTECTIVE of their well-being -- and ...

This is also due to the fact that the Laws, the Legal System, Judges, Police/Law Enforcement, and Protective Services all ABUSE and Treat the Survivors of Violence in a Caustic, Abusive, and HARASSING Way, with a CLEAR INTENT to DEMEAN the Violence Survivor.

As a Survivor of Domestic Violence (and an ex of approximately decade and half ago -- who to this day continues to stalk, damage/destroy my property, harass, and just recently, robbed my residence AGAIN) --

I have PERSONAL Experience with the Legal System --

The Judge is UNCARING (doesn't see the "threat" to my personal life when the Ex continues to Stalk, Entered and Robbed my Residence, is UNSUPERVISED and UNMONITORED in my area, and WILL NOT (actually REFUSED!) to give me Personal Protective Orders -- not just once, but MULTIPLE TIMES -- so as a Result, I've had my Car Damaged, I've been assaulted, and My Home was robbed -- all events that happened WITHIN TWO WEEKS of the Denial of EACH request for a Personal Protective Order!

Law Enforcement -- when I called the Police to INFORM them about the ROBBERY of my residence -- the Officer treated me with COMPLETE and total DISRESPECT -- uncaring, would NOT gather evidence -- KEPT INSISTING that the Individual who Abused me (and was in custody, but released to have Visitation in the Local Area with my ex (teenage child within a few months of 18 yrs of age)) AND my Ex were "GUESTS" in my home -- EVEN THOUGH I showed him the ORDERS for Custody of the 17 yr old being in State Hands (for abusing me) AND the FINAL Order of Divorce (which was based on Domestic Violence and abuse) from almost decade and half ago! I HAD TO ARGUE with the OFFICER to take the Plastic BIN into EVIDENCE because the OFFICER insisted "they are guests and live here" (I am SINGLE -- NO GUESTS!").

Juvenile Court Services is a big revolving door -- Teenagers can abuse their Parent at any time -- beat us, stomp on us, pummel us, kick us, knock us down, knock the glasses off our faces, and then Pick up their Leather Belts and WHIP the parent 10 to 20+ times -- with a CLEAR INTENT to KILL the parent -- and STILL the Judge insists on trying to FORCE me to TAKE BACK this violent Offender Teen -- and I've had to worry also about being STABBED Again during the Night (they do have Mental Illness like my ex -- and will NOT comply with their Medications or therapy).

The Department of Children's Services (which is involved since the teen beat me and whipped me) then SLANDERS me and Abuses me -- by "Excusing" the BEATING and WHIPPING I ENDURED for 2.5 hours by saying it was "Excessive Punishment" for me to take away the DVD Player and TV because the Teenager was Damaging my home, assaulting me, disappearing and being disrespectful -- and would NOT honor my home or my rules or my person!

With all of this being the CURRENT state of our Legal System (and the ex is STILL ALLOWED to travel withOUT me being notified he is in the area), and NO PROTECTIVE ORDERS (Because the JUDGE does not 'see the THREAT' from MY ex-spouse and the offspring (who is well on the way to being a career criminal abuser as well) -- I am UNABLE to Adequately DEFEND myself -- and if I DO DEFEND MYSELF -- who will be prosecuted? ME!

Answer 10

I dunno......I was only 2 at the time