[lazyjones]

One has to wonder why even the author states specifically that loneliness is a problem in the "western world". Isn't it a problem elsewhere and if so, why? What does it really correlate with? Longer lifespans, smaller families, peace and security, wealth?

[coldtea]

>One has to wonder why even the author states specifically that loneliness is a problem in the "western world". Isn't it a problem elsewhere and if so, why?

Because other places have stronger social and family bonds (Africa, Asia, Latin America). Exceptions is the West and very westernized societies in Asia (e.g. Japan).

It's partly cultural (e.g. protestant cultures being more impersonal), partly because of necessity (you need more family/friend support in less developed countries), and partly because of the development model chosen (or imposed onto people) which sacrifices personal and social time and binds for productivity and consumption. Where western style productivity has not been applied (e.g. in vast expanses of global rural areas, non-factory cities, slower economies, etc), even the poor have plenty of social time. When that has been eroded and people are forced to factory work, sweatshops, or worse (mines etc), that drops closer to zero.

Quite a lot of social time was the norm in the west too, both in the pre-industrial past, and when a middle class emerged that overcame the Dickensian working conditions (e.g. sometime before WWII, up until some point in the 70s - late 80s or so. Thank neoliberalism/globalization for the changes...).

[C14L]

[citation needed]

[coldtea]

[fieldwork and reading up required from the reader]

[C14L]

So you made it up and then downvoted me for asking for a source? Oh well.

[coldtea]

No, I summed up my informed observations and readings (having lived and worked in a few continents for some chunks of time), and downvoted the cliche Reddit-like "citation needed" content-less response.

If you have your own observations, or opinion, or point of view, or counter data, or some citation you'd like to share, please do so. I've written mine.

[C14L]

> my informed observations and readings

I lived and worked since the mid-1990s in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, plus have a related degree. And no, I will not give you sources to contradict your "facts". That's not how science works. If you present "facts", then its on you to present the sources. And don't downvote people asking for a source. That's yet another level.

[maxmunzel]

Maybe because the author lacks access to non-western cultures and doesn’t want to make unbaked claims? I’d personally had a hard time getting a feel for African/Eastern/etc societies.