By Kari Bergmann
Loneliness is a natural part of our human condition. To some extent, loneliness is guaranteed in this life because our earthly existence is shaped by our longing and searching for union with our Creator. This desire can never be perfectly fulfilled until we see him face to face. Our existential loneliness also stems from the fact that all human union is flawed. Human love, whether it be the love of spouses, parents and children, siblings, or friends, is bound to be imperfect. Our capacity to love is weakened by our tendency towards sin; our selfishness. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, there exists a woundedness in man’s relationship with God, with man, and with the world. Christ’s death and resurrection has ultimately opened the way to restore all of these relationships, yet, while we remain on earth, we must still face the consequences of man’s sin: suffering, illness, death, weakness of character, and concupiscence. With the help of Grace, we must strive and struggle towards holiness amidst these very real challenges.
Even with this in mind, there seems to be a modern problem of loneliness that extends beyond this natural human loneliness. This problem has been present long before the coronavirus forced us into our homes. Despite living in a time in which humanity is more connected than ever through technology and transportation, it seems that a growing number of people are experiencing severe, even debilitating, levels of loneliness. This is particularly true of teenagers, young adults, and the elderly, though it can occur at any age. Why is this the case? Why hasn’t increased technological connectedness helped decrease our sense of isolation?
This isn’t an easy question to answer but we can identify some key factors that have certainly contributed to the problem. Firstly, we live in a society that seems to be becoming increasingly individualistic. If we prize personal choice and freedom above all else, then we are tempted to lose sight of the other, we can become navel-gazers. We can forget the fact that we are social beings created for relationship, created to love and be loved. This call to connection means that each of us needs to be willing to make personal sacrifices, the absence of which can lead to a breakdown of communities, families, and relationships. It seems that seems that our societal tendencies toward Nihilism and atheism have certainly contributed towards this problem. Our Catholic faith gives us hope and purpose. It shows us that we are created for communion and that we were created out of love. Without this perspective we might feel cut off from the rest of humanity; it’s difficult to see our interconnectedness and all too easy to focus on our own self-interest.
Additionally, technology itself is certainly part of the problem. While technology has been helping us stay connected during this pandemic it is certainly no replacement for in-person interaction; we are bodily creatures and we need to be physically present with one another, to see smiles, to hear tone of voice, to embrace or kiss, even just to shake hands. These things are often lost through technology. A number of studies have also found that increased use of social media amongst young people has been linked with higher rates of loneliness. Using social media frequently often leads individuals to compare themselves with others and subsequently to develop a sense of inadequacy or envy. More people are also choosing to use technology to fill their spare time. It’s all too easy to find entertainment options at home with television, videogames, Netflix, and YouTube rather than going out into the community to find like-minded individuals to enjoy leisurely activities.
This week we looked at some of the factors that have contributed to the ‘loneliness epidemic,’ next week we will explore some strategies for dealing with loneliness. Stay tuned!