For the first time this term was used by the American sociologist Eric Kleinenberg in his book "Solo Life: A New Social Reality". The scientist says that recently the number of people who prefer bachelor life to family life has been growing. Moreover, the tendency for such "loners" has tripled over the past 10 years. Kleinenberg deduced four main reasons for this phenomenon: Changing the role of a woman - today she can work and earn on an equal basis with a man and is not obliged to consider family and childbearing as her destiny.
The revolution in the means of communication - telephone, television, and then the Internet - allow you not to feel cut off from the world. Mass urbanization - surviving alone in the city is much easier than in the rural outback. Increased life expectancy - many widows and widowers today are in no hurry to remarry or move to their children and grandchildren, preferring to lead an active independent life Everything looks quite logical, but the image of a lonely and therefore unhappy person is so firmly ingrained in the imagination of society that "loneliness" as a word has a sharply negative coloration (introverts are exceptions: they pronounce this word with an anticipatory smile).
So it's time to play MythBusters! 5 myths about loneliness 1. Loners are always lonely Feelings of loneliness and boredom are not inherent in real loners. Such people do not need other people to feel alive. They are so solid and deep natures that they are not bored with themselves. 2. Lonely people are the Robinsons Crusoe! People who love loneliness do not live in isolation, like on a deserted island. Loners can easily drink coffee with acquaintances or have dinner with family, or go to the movies with friends, but they do not turn it into a race for anyone else's society. Alone with themselves, they feel as good as many in a big fun company. 3. Lonely people have no one to talk to Here the phrase is suitable: "I love to talk to myself, because it is so nice to talk with an interesting and educated person." For loners, the semantic content of information is very important, so they prefer more informative sources for empty conversations. 4 they don't need communication at all The opposite myth says: loners do not need communication, since their own company fully satisfies their needs.
This is not true. All people need communication, just those who love solo life, in communication they take not by quantity, but by quality. They prefer to have a small circle of communication in which they can discuss important and interesting issues. 5. Loneliness is bad for health Is that in the context of Freud's phrase: "At the moment when a person begins to think about the meaning and value of life, you can begin to consider him sick." I think the main thing here is to know when to stop. If you combine communication and relaxation in solitude well, you can live a bright life full of impressions and interesting ideas.
