'No wonder we don't dwell on what's inside: that would underline the loneliness of existence,' says Oliver Burkeman
We've Lost the Spaces That Foster Friendship
We keep offering individual fixes for loneliness while ignoring the disappearance of the spaces where adults once built real relationships.
How we can solve loneliness in America
An expert in loneliness says the U.S. is in a new "social frontier." Here's how we can cope
Intellectual Loneliness
I have a confession to make: I leave most parties early because I'd rather read a book. The world comes to life when I'm surrounded by ideas.
Your Loneliness Was a Design Decision Made by Your Enemy
or: they want us isolated because it's easier to sell us shit
The world’s happiest people have a beautifully simple way to tackle loneliness
Toad, a 20-year-old Danish woman living in Copenhagen, has been lonely her whole life. She is autistic, and as a child, did not have any friends. When she moved from the country to the city, not much changed. “They says it’s a phase, but a phase becomes a life,” she says, surrounded by six other young adults in a cozy apartment in Copenhagen—all of whom are working on becoming less lonely.
What is Causing Our Epidemic of Loneliness and How Can We Fix It?
Researchers share what Americans have to say about social disconnection and potential solutions
How Social Isolation Is Killing Us (Published 2016)
Research confirms our deepest intuition: Human connection lies at the heart of human well-being.
Researchers Confront an Epidemic of Loneliness (Published 2016)
Social isolation is linked to physical illness and to functional and cognitive decline. Programs to reach out to the elderly are growing, particularly in Britain.
America has a loneliness epidemic. Here are 6 steps to address it
Lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General.
Loneliness epidemic
The concept of a "loneliness epidemic" relating to rising rates of social isolation was first described in the 2000s. Robert D. Putnam's 2000 study Bowling Alone was an early instance of describing loneliness as an epidemic, arguing that decreased participation in civic life and community groups was weakening social bonds in the United States.[5]
How being alone may be the key to rest
The results of the world’s largest survey on rest suggest that to feel truly rested, we need to get away from other people.
Is Your Social Life Missing Something? This Is For You.
Podcast Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 02/03/2026 · 1h 31m
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.
The Internet is Full of Strangers | The Paper Pilot
The Paper Pilot's digital garden of thoughts on philosophy, politics, and sociology
Why Lonely People Stay Lonely
It’s not because they don’t understand social skills.
