in Face Your Fears, Psychology, TED talks

There’s a difference between being lonely and being alone.

One is an essential part of being human, the other is something that’s evolved into something bigger with the invention of the internet and specifically social media.

Watch this short video to see the difference between the two:

Haunting message:

“We slip into thinking that always being connected is going to make us feel less alone. But we’re at risk, because actually it’s the opposite that’s true. If we’re not able to be alone, we’re going to be more lonely. And if we don’t teach our children to be alone, they’re only going to know how to be lonely.”

As a culture we need to learn to be alone.
As individuals we need to make time to be alone.
That means time when we’re not staring at a screen, or constantly consuming information, media or external stimulation.
Alone. In quite. Stillness.
Easier said that done, I know!

Excerpt from The Atlantic:

“Loneliness and being alone are not the same thing, but both are on the rise. We meet fewer people. We gather less. And when we gather, our bonds are less meaningful and less easy. The decrease in confidants—that is, in quality social connections—has been dramatic over the past 25 years. In one survey, the mean size of networks of personal confidants decreased from 2.94 people in 1985 to 2.08 in 2004. Similarly, in 1985, only 10 percent of Americans said they had no one with whom to discuss important matters, and 15 percent said they had only one such good friend. By 2004, 25 percent had nobody to talk to, and 20 percent had only one confidant.”

Now watch the awesome TED talk on which the above video was based:

And beware of the immediate reaction of your brain to reject the idea that this is something that you face. If we’re honest, we’ve ALL been affected by this.

How we’ll allow ourselves to continue to be affected by this is up to us.

Q: What thoughts and fears came up for you while watching this?