Sobering. There's no "social media" category, but I expect that would make the thing radically different, and perhaps even more sobering.
From a tweet from Bryan Caplan.
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218 sats \ 5 replies \ @AlCoHoLnAcEtOnE 28 Dec 2024
It's true, before the COVID era I was barely alone..during COVID everything and everyone around me fell apart. Now, besides work I'll be lucky to go out or socialize. I had a lot of terrible things happen during COVID deaths, lay off,losses and lock ups major weight gain and all that nearly drove me to you know what but regardless of all that I think our brains are rewired by the Internet essentially to seek and meet our social gratifications through it because it mostly dissolves all of the barriers that irl has to new relationships. I'm 36 and I can definitely say that life before modern Internet was much better for our species. We're hybrids of our former selves.
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23 sats \ 4 replies \ @elvismercury OP 28 Dec 2024
Curious -- COVID was super disruptive for all the reasons you mentioned. It sounds like for you, the effects have lingered, and your social life has not returned to its former shape. Can you say more about why that is?
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322 sats \ 2 replies \ @AlCoHoLnAcEtOnE 28 Dec 2024
I also think when you get older, just in general, you start to feel outpaced by things going on around you and it compels you to draw inward and focus on the easiest path ahead (work, survival n such) rather than building relationships because time starts to feel like it's fleeting and you don't want to waste it by the relationship not working out. That would make you feel like you wasted valuable time. Catch-22's all through life haha
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @elvismercury OP 28 Dec 2024
Dang. This makes sense, and I can feel a lot of these same instincts in myself. Sounds like you have a pretty keen eye to your own situation and how / why you arrived there. What now?
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55 sats \ 0 replies \ @AlCoHoLnAcEtOnE 28 Dec 2024
I just assume since we're all the same species that went through the same thing on a grand scale, that a majority of us went through and are still going through the effects of that. I've been told I am very self aware but I think it's mainly allowing myself to be honest about it that keeps the clouds out of my eyes haha. As for what now though, at least for myself, I'm going to keep pushing myself to communicate with everyone I can and very recently a few work friends and myself are forcing ourselves to check in on each other at times besides work, so that feels nice to know we care. So, how are holding up? Are things getting better since COVID ?
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163 sats \ 0 replies \ @AlCoHoLnAcEtOnE 28 Dec 2024
I certainly can. For one, I believe since I was separated from most of the people I was spending time with in-person, due to lockdowns and my own personal reasons, we just adapted to that isolation and kept it up, also society and corporations built means to service itself in a way that we don't need even leave the home to get what we need...wether it be food, conversation, entertainment etc. Also, the depression became so deep seeded that it eroded my confidence so much so that I feel as if nobody cares on an empathetic level enough to want to get to know me or anyone else in an organic way. Like it's too much work, trust and time involved because we've been trained lately to self satisfy and the easiest way to do that is to make money and consume. Now we don't have time for one another. I also think that everyone is paranoid of each other due to the media mainly portraying the evils going on in the world and not the beauty of humanity and life, because it's dramatic and drama sells.
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153 sats \ 4 replies \ @siggy47 23 Dec 2024
I wonder if the graph changed significantly since covid. I have a friend in his mid 60s for whom texting with friends is his only contact with people since his relationship with his girlfriend ended two years ago. He hardly leaves his apartment, and rarely speaks on the phone.
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106 sats \ 3 replies \ @Signal312 23 Dec 2024
Covid truly broke some people.
Does your friend think that his style of life is fine, or does he wish for something different? An older relative of mine is alone almost 24/7, every day of the week, and is very lonely.
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55 sats \ 1 reply \ @elvismercury OP 23 Dec 2024
This seems an achingly common case. The modern shape of the world is brutal on older people.
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54 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bit_Alb 23 Dec 2024
And in the years to come, unfortunately, it will only get worse.
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75 sats \ 0 replies \ @sudonaka 23 Dec 2024
The government broke the people. Covid was the excuse
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118 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined 23 Dec 2024
Basically, we replace our family with coworkers, partners, and kids. Then, our kids leave and we retire, leaving us alone with our partners.
Honestly, after having kids, I'm sure people are relieved to finally have some alone time.
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26 sats \ 1 reply \ @elvismercury OP 23 Dec 2024
I look forward to your report in 18-ish years ;)
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 23 Dec 2024
I've heard that people start getting more time to themselves right around this age. I'll keep everyone posted.
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108 sats \ 1 reply \ @cryotosensei 24 Dec 2024
Welcome back!
But what if I like spending time being alone by myself?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury OP 24 Dec 2024
Hopefully that remains true as it gets less optional.
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64 sats \ 2 replies \ @0xbitcoiner 23 Dec 2024
OS: https://ourworldindata.org/time-use
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Skipper 23 Dec 2024
That paid work stat can't be right...
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @CheezeGrater 24 Dec 2024
Probably averaged over a longer period of time
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54 sats \ 1 reply \ @Satosora 23 Dec 2024
As we get older, we spend more time alone.
Moral of the story is to get comfortable with yourself.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury OP 23 Dec 2024
That's one possible moral.
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @justin_shocknet 23 Dec 2024
The lack of time young parents spend with their children will be looked back upon as the dark ages.
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17 sats \ 0 replies \ @Skipper 23 Dec 2024
This is so true. It's so sad.
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10 sats \ 4 replies \ @Coinsreporter 23 Dec 2024
I believe the graph will be an exact opposite for India.
I've found it for comparison.
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0 sats \ 3 replies \ @Skipper 23 Dec 2024
They only work 5ish hours?
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @we_can_supply_you 24 Dec 2024
There is a lot of "informal economy" in India which may be contributing to this. Also, very few women are in the workforce.
There's a great tongue in cheek economics explained video about how if we want to improve economic output by getting more people into the workforce, handing out free washing machines is probably the best way to do it. It frees up the time of the people in these societies who are traditionally relegated to housework, so they can then participate in the economy and have jobs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gvsz_vc7B0
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 24 Dec 2024
India has joint families (very large often) that allows them to free their women for household and take care children properly.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 24 Dec 2024
Half the working population works, then remaining half is just unemployed #820404. Hahaha
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Shugard 23 Dec 2024
It's funny that there is no drop in alone when you get kids.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @LowK3y19 23 Dec 2024
I would think being with co workers would be most time spent since we are always at work
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nitter 23 Dec 2024 bot
https://xcancel.com/bryan_caplan/status/1861418481624678659
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