Something I realized this week that affects most of my friends, but may not affect you. In fact, it didn't affect me when I lived in Boston: Most of us live isolated lives. Almost every couple I know—who doesn't have children, those creatures who force you into society— has a pleasant, easy lifestyle, but without a coterie of friends. Each duet lives in a nice home to which they seldom invite people. They are content to stay in watching television, reading or doing some solitary project. My partner and I, except for the rare party, never have visitors. My closest friends never have visitors—never! My friends who live alone, do just that: live alone. When I call, I'm never told that they're entertaining company. Are we becoming a nation of recluses? Has e-mail made it too easy to avoid human contact? Is work enough socializing for most of us? Are we all limiting ourselves to just a few "safe" contacts and not extending ourselves socially? And, if so, is that a problem? I must admit I envy some of the characters on TV sitcoms with their constant streams of amusing visitors. But I don't know anyone with an open-kitchen-door policy. Do you?
I suspect that none of the people you've described have small children.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. Children force one to be social. A good reason not to have them.
ReplyDelete