Best Content from Feb - The Anti-Social Century

I am going to pivot on listing the best content I came across in the month to unpacking and sharing one piece of content that made me pause and think deeply.? For February it was The Anti-Social Century - Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.

By?Derek Thompson

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/american-loneliness-personality-politics/681091/

The author goes to his local restaurant which is full not of people but of to go bags.? The scary realization he has is we are choosing to isolate ourselves. As he deep dives into this subject he finds we are spending more time alone then any previous generation.? Some key insights from the article and intriguing stats:

Social Withdrawal Trends:

• Young people are spending 70% less time socializing in person than they did two decades ago.
• The average American spends over 7 hours a day on screens, reducing face-to-face interactions.
• The number of Americans who say they have no close friends has quadrupled since 1990.

?Health Impacts of Loneliness:

• Loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is linked to higher risks of heart disease, dementia, and depression.

Changing Cultural Values:

• Western societies have increasingly prioritized individualism over community, leading to a decline in civic engagement, church attendance, and community activities.
• The percentage of Americans participating in community groups, clubs, or religious organizations has plummeted by nearly 50% since the 1950s

We prioritize efficiency over community. Everything from self-checkouts to remote work makes life more convenient, but at what cost? We’re replacing human interactions with digital transactions.

Loneliness is the silent epidemic. Studies show that isolation is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We need deep, meaningful relationships—not just online connections.

The myth of self-sufficiency is hurting us. Western culture celebrates independence, but true fulfillment comes from interdependence—having people to rely on and support.

We’re not meant to do life alone. Yes annoyance is the price for community, it cannot be all on our terms, when we want community it cannot only be when it is convenient.? Community and connection means having guests when you want to be alone, it means going out to an event when you aren’t super excited, it means visiting even when you have had a long day.

We need to actively choose community—reaching out, checking in, and being present for others.

What are your thoughts? ?Is this fear mongering, creating a moral panic that is overblown? Are we becoming less social, is this fear mongering or we are just social in different ways?

FYI - I found the article by following Miriam Tinny on TikTok who does a great job finding intriguing content to listen or read.

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