On Community

Modern societies around the world are in the grip of a rapidly spreading epidemic. Millions of people, across all demographics, report a lack of meaningful social interactions that leaves them feeling isolated and disconnected.

Studies increasingly show that this loneliness epidemic significantly impacts both mental and physical health, leading to decreased emotional regulation and heightened stress responses. These effects, in turn, contribute to issues like depression, anxiety, heart disease, dementia, and even shorter lifespans.

Patterns of loneliness and isolation are now widely seen not as personal challenges but as a societal issue requiring a broader response. This has led governments and private sectors alike to launch initiatives aimed at fostering meaningful social connections and improving access to mental health resources—efforts designed to help individuals before isolation becomes life-threatening.

In this session, we'll discuss how this “epidemic of loneliness” may affect our own lives and explore whether philosophy might offer any insights or solutions.

Here are a few questions to get the conversation started:

• What aspects of modern society contribute to feelings of isolation and the difficulty in finding meaningful connections?
• Have you ever struggled with loneliness, and if so, what helped you overcome it?
• Are there particular individuals, ideas, or experiences that have shaped your views on loneliness and belonging?
• How important is it to exist within a community, and what does it take to build and maintain one?

Resources:

• Article on psychological and health effects of loneliness, with strategies for resilience and the importance of meaningful social engagement.
• Report from Harvard highlighting U.S. data on loneliness and identifying social isolation as a public health crisis.
• Video (8:30) of Gabor Mate, a physician and leading voice on the impact stress has on our lives discussing the loneliness epidemic.

***
Feel free to arrive as early as 18:15 p.m., but please be here by 19:25 p.m. at the latest. I’ll have tea, flavored water, a bottle of wine, and snacks. You’re welcome to bring anything you’d like to share, though it’s not necessary. We also have a friendly, well-trained dog who adores people—let me know if anyone would prefer she be in another room. We’ll wrap up around 9:45-10:00 p.m., leaving time for some post-discussion chat. Looking forward to seeing you all!