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The Innovation of Loneliness

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While our focus is shifting towards individual achievements over community, more and more people are feeling lonely. They feel vulnerable opening up to others for warm, friendly, heart-to-heart conversations. Then, along comes social media… As people share and chat from islands of isolation, filtering and massaging information, they are undermining the genuine credibility of conversation. Bits and pieces of tweets, posts and chats aren’t allowing people either to open up or understand others. Are these online connections actually helping with loneliness, or they are making it worse? Could this social media activity be chipping away at your quiet time as well, when you could think and reflect? Learn more in this fast-pace, animated video based on the work of Sherry Turkle and Dr. Yair Amichal-Hamburger.

Be The Change

Listen to the TED talk from which much of the text for this animated video was taken: Sherry Turkle's "Connected, But Alone."

A sense of feeling connected is critical for our health and well-being. Scientist Emma Seppala's research shows that when you serve, you naturally feel connected to the world.

Create a "sacred space" for your family, like the dining room or family room, where devices and gadgets are prohibited. Take the time to talk to each other in that space.

Reflections (30)

Shashi

i feel social media is directly contributing to loneliness as people hardly finding time to talk to each other rather texting is more comfortable for the present generation. They are always engrossed in tweeting with and find little time for interaction. Man is moving away from societal life.

A rather brilliant depiction of Loneliness in a virtual age, but the focus of the video is rigorously defined to facets of economic prosperity and technological literary. Where is the INNOVATION? In the spirit of Conversation, how do you feel the 10 key points to the Art of Innovation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtjatz9r-Vc -might contribute to the transformation of Loneliness in our everyday lives?

Gaurav gadhiya

How forget our lonelness

Lynn

After having to quit working at @48 yrs old, and in the last year moving away from where I had lived for 40 years, I am truly experiencing loneliness. I'm now almost 62 years old and although I still talk to my closest friends , it's not the same as having coffee once a week with them. I've been married to my husband for 35 yrs. and am driving him crazy because when he comes home from work (he works nights) I am so needy for companionship and he just wants to unwind. I never envisioned this for myself, once a strong independent woman and now so lonely. I'm driving myself crazy.

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Hope

I can almost see why my daughter threw us away. They have a large social media group and still being in the workplace, they meet new people constantly so why deal with elderly parents when they feel fulfilled. Instead throw us away. Thanks for the message. Oh and since we moved thousands of miles from family and friends and babysat for 5 years until she didn't need us anymore, we really are alone and lonely.

Bhupendra

Precise. Every innovation and invention has two sides one positive and the other negative. Persons above 50 by now must have close friends unless they are unlucky. Thus the problem of loneliness will inflict the younger generation who are hooked on the modern gizmos. They need to be aware of drawbacks and advantages of any new innovation and inventions. Take care young ones. Love.

Chris

I think there is a sense of lost in the art of intmate conversation nothing is worst then being with someone who whip out their smart phone and starts texting someone else I find this rude and mostly that the person does not value my friendship which makes me feel like a non being might as well be sitting at home alone then ..

Jenny

While I think the video brings up some negatives of social media I want to also point out the other side. Social media has allowed lonely people to form meaningful connections and help each other through trials and life challenges. If there is doubt visit any online self-help community even the ones hosted by Facebook. Within these groups learning and support are provided to those who may otherwise have none where they are living. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water please. Let's in fact learn to use social media for positive ends.

Leslie

Beautifully done! And, I totally agree. As a 71 year old mother, grandmother, friend and psychotherapist I mourn the loss o conversation, intimacy and authenticity. I sit in horror as I see gaggles of girls sitting together, but not talking to each other, or one o my grandchildren tells me they are listening to me as I speak with them as they are frantically texting,instagraming or some other new thing...I insist they turn off their phones...They are not pleased!

Susan Penn

Who hasn't had the underlying feeling, even premonition while posting the latest Facebook experiences, of this very phenomenon. This is a powerful video and vehicle for realizing the importance of human conversation, contact, and all the imperfection that comes with real intimacy. Love it!

Melanie

How very very true....but the good news is, we have the ability to fix our loneliness by merely shutting off the technology and 'doing' ...visit the elderly / or a nursing home if you don't have any old aunts/uncles in your family; bake cookies and then give them away (...to your neighbor if you don't know your neighbor). Yes, it's all fixable, but it starts with you using your voice instead of your technology. So, will you shut it off and step out ?? I hope so. Have a blessed day!

Brian

Thank Guys. Great conversation starter. Yup, social media, and the tech revolution is so permeating and marketed, that it's easy to miss the bigger picture in the long term. Oneness? Therefore, we must be aware of new inputs that effect our minds, and basic peace. While, also not "losing out" on the benefits and joy of the new tech. Especially for those in the workforce. There are trade offs with anything. Many of us believe that the progressive exponential tech relationship, is part of a divine plan to solve the world's problems. We all have our ideas. Be well...Thanks...peace...

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The Innovation of Loneliness

Reflections (30)

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