| I know the serotonin theory of depression is pretty much dead, but it is a fact that being around people raises serotonin levels. For introverts it is tiring, but it is better than not being around people. Being around people reduces cognitive decline in old age. Being around people reduces depression levels. Being in a supportive community reduces the severity of symptoms from schizophrenia. The 2+2 nuclear family concept is an abomination, we are supposed to live in a multigenerational community, surrounded by friends and family. The modern American lifestyle destroys psychological health. Without large social circles, finding romantic partners is hard, which leads to all sorts of negative life outcomes. Raising kids is hard, friends of mine who have nearby extended family have a much easier time raising kids (and are more likely to have more kids!) Heck my sister had kids 20 years before I did (bit of an age difference), 2 sets of grand parents, lots of free baby sitting, and aunts and uncles to help out with homework. It was also useful for me, I got to learn a lot about babies early on. > gross imbalance of exercise, diet, sleep, and social connection Yeah lots of these are solved with a large social group. I have some good friends (who sadly now live a bit aways from me) who host dinner parties 3 or 4 nights a week. People come over and help cook and clean up, so everyone eats healthy meals all the time. Friends who have lots of family nearby, just rotate whose house they go to on different nights, all the kids and adults after school/work get together to do child care and cooking. Healthy food for everyone, less work. Lots of modern life scales up really well. 2 parents will get exhausted taking care of 1 baby, between cooking, cleaning, and watching the child. 4 parents, 3 kids? Much easier. Seriously, piece of cake. 3 grand parents, 4 parents, a young auntie, 5 kids? No problem at all. Society has seriously screwed the pooch. If I had some insane amount of capitol I'd try to start some sort of shared housing for families, do intense interviews to match people up (see: My last failed startup) people cook together, raise kids together, support each other. Put 3-5 new/young families in a mid size housing complex with a shared yard. Put a support network in place, house chaperone (cough RA cough) to help out now and then. Extended Family as a Service. Dystopian, maybe, but possibly it'd do a lot of good in the world. (If any investors want to get in touch, please do, :-D ) |
I noticed that my depression spiked when I started to become more isolated. I was getting older, long time friends are now scattered about the country/world, difficult to make new ones. Family members are isolated and scattered doing their own thing in their nuclear units. Parents are divoced and fending for themselves too. Finding a romantic partner under these circumstances is difficult ... having no friends can be seen as a "red flag". It snowballs.
I have also thought of the concept of shared housing for adults. I LOVE this idea.
They share the responsibilities much like a multi-generational family would, they just happen to be strangers.