Society is becoming less social
It's a fact all over the post-industrialized world: we are facing a loneliness epidemic. People are living more by themselves, having less intimate encounters, marry later if at all, have less friends and stay more at home than they used to. Our societies have simply changed too much. As individualism continues to rise, we’re seeing an undeniable shift in how humans connect—or fail to connect—with each other.
A key driver of this isolation is the growing focus on individualism. Younger generations, raised in a world that prizes self-sufficiency and personal achievement, often find themselves prioritizing personal goals over social relationships. In this hyper-individualized culture, where personal success is seen as the ultimate marker of worth, many feel pressured to focus inward, building their careers, managing finances, or cultivating personal brands. As a result, deep relationships and community bonds tend to fall by the wayside, deemed less urgent or even archaic and naive compared to the next professional milestone or self-improvement project.
At the core of this loneliness epidemic lies a lack of trust. Historically, all successful societies are built on trust. At the individual level trust is the foundation of meaningful relationships. Nowadays trust feels risky; citizens distrust social institutions and are constantly afraid of being hurt in close relationships. Lack of trust means that community dissolves, and there goes too our collective sense of belonging. We do not even relish in the same culture anymore and everyone is lost in their subculture with its distinct culture.
Our societies have evolved, but this evolution doesn’t have to mean permanent disconnection. While the push for independence and self-reliance has strained social bonds, we can counter this by prioritizing relationships over competition. Simple actions, like reaching out to the people you want to spend more time with and engaging in local communities (like municipal board meetings or even neighborhood gatherings!) can begin to reverse isolation. On a larger scale, we should strive to end cynicism and make people care again by showing actual ambition for a shared goal. In terms of workspace, treating people as responsible adults and linking profits to wages wouldn't hurt!
By rebuilding trust—both personally and institutionally—we strengthen our social fabric. Encouraging dialogue across subcultures and finding common ground can bring us back together. Small, intentional steps toward connection can make all the difference in creating a more compassionate and connected future.
I couldn't agree more..
ReplyDeleteI could possibly give another explanation to this phenomenon..
The key is the personal responsibility..You ng people tend to be less attracted to taking up social responsibilities, as they are raised in a closed family cocoon,at least in western societies..
It's their parents'duty to "socialize"them, since their childhood,connecting everything they tech them to the impact to the social life..It's undeniable that not all of them will grow interested to the social matters to the same level,but at least ,they will will integrate society ...as active participants ..