Is it possible we’ve fallen into ‘lonely habits’? Why is our emerging i-Gen lonelier (and more forgetful) than those aged sixty and beyond? And how is a lack of touch impacting our kids? Why, in some locations, are prisoners spending more time outside than kids? Without meaning to, are we raising our young to lead isolated lives? Online dating has become the norm, bringing new, sometimes questionable ways of relating – until COVID came along - what’s the impact of this change? We tend to assume loneliness is simply sitting at home alone feeling sad, but what if loneliness is more subtle than that? How can we help nudge our isolation aside? After decades of affluence, we're now busy renovating our homes, buffing and botoxing our bodies, and losing ourselves in passive entertainment and shopping, as depression and anxiety soars. And with the arrival of Netflix and Uber Eats, there's less and less incentive to leave home. Could our constant need for connection be messing with our brains? Is this why we're losing our ability to strike up a conversation with anyone we don't know? And given that so many of our kids lack one-on-one attention and regular touch, are we raising this new generation to be profoundly lonely? Right now, many of our relationships at home and at work, as well as in our communities are struggling. What, then, are the best ways back to belonging, and what might a more engaged community look like? Maggie Hamilton, author of What's Happening to Our Boys? and What's Happening to Our Girls? explores our growing loneliness and proposes practical solutions and an uplifting vision to combat the increasing social isolation in our families and communities. Maggie Hamilton writes books and for magazines; gives frequent talks; and is a keen observer of social trends. Her books have been published in over a dozen countries worldwide. www.maggiehamilton.org
