- In-person socializing dropped by over 20% between 2003 to 2023, with the decline surpassing 35% for unmarried men and young adults.
- 74% of restaurant traffic comes from takeout and delivery, up from 61% before the pandemic. Meanwhile, solo dining has surged 29% in just 2 years, according to OpenTable.
- The typical adult buys three movie tickets a year but watches the equivalent of about 8 movies per week at home.
- Health: In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called loneliness an epidemic and said its mortality impacts were similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Hard to believe, but hey, we’re not the Surgeon General.
- Economic: A 2023 study found that increasing time alone by just 5% had the same impact on life satisfaction as a 10% pay cut.
- Political: In 2000, just 8% of individuals on one end of the political spectrum rated the opposing party as “very cold” or “unfavorable.” By 2020, that number hit 40%.
I hadn't thought of the Christian resurgence I sensed as a reaction to lockdowns. It's also still too early to show up in data probably but this post offers a few anecdotes in response to this graph: