<![CDATA[The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century]]>

false <![CDATA[The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century]]> 4837512 1 The personal and societal effects of the unheralded epidemic of social isolation in America In our culture it's more socially acceptable to be depressed than to be lonely. Yet loneliness is the inevitable byproduct of our frenetic contemporary lifestyle. In this marvelously acute critique of how we live, psychiatrists Jacqueline Olds and Richard S. Schwartz show how the American lifestyle leads to social isolation. With a work ethic that emphasizes productivity over personal relationships and a multiplying menu of electronic diversions and distractions, Americans are responding by isolating themselves from an overstimulating world. But even as people seek respite from public life, they are shocked to find themselves feeling left out. Research shows that when people feel socially excluded, their cognition deteriorates and they become self-destructive and hostile. These ideas have been neglected in the world of psychology and psychiatry, but a socially isolated core population has now grown too large to be ignored. Calling on their extensive clinical experience, new social surveys (including the 2004 General Social Survey and the Pew Internet and American Life Project), and recent research on the physiological and cognitive effects of social exclusion, Olds and Schwartz uncover the ripple effects of social isolation in areas as varied as physical health, children's emotional problems, substance abuse, violent crime—even global warming. They conclude that electronic connection is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. "In a wise, quiet, and gentle voice, Drs. Olds and Schwartz offer a devastating portrait of present-day American culture—the fragility of social bonds, the busyness that has become a badge of social worth, the conflict between the need for respite from the frantic pace and the gnawing feelings of exclusion and loneliness that accompany our attempts to slow it down. This is a book for our time, a book that calls all of us to take a serious look at the social and psychological costs of the way we live today." —Dr. Lillian B. Rubin, author of Just Friends, Intimate Strangers, and 60 on Up "In today's society the pursuit of individual happiness, materialism, and the frenetic pace of life has led many people unwittingly into lifestyles where they feel lonely and excluded. Yet we know that such states are damaging to physical and mental health. In their important new book, Drs. Olds and Schwartz provide a compassionate and insightful analysis of the conflicting currents that have led to this state of affairs, and they describe ways in which this pattern can be changed through individual and community efforts." —Dr. Bruce S. McEwen, author of The End of Stress as We Know It "An insightful, important, and comprehensive look at the causes and effects of the pervasive psychological and social isolation within contemporary American culture. The authors offer wise, compassionate, and helpful strategies toward the renewal of our essential human connections." —Janet L. Surrey, Ph.D. Founding Scholar, Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, Wellesley College, and Samuel Shem, author of The House of God 4902757 1 2 2009 The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century total:16|5:4|4:6|3:5|2:1|1:0| 16 61 50 8 5 0 false false Fri Mar 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 07 09:56:12 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 07 09:59:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 2 false false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 08 10:50:41 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 08 10:53:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 09:35:38 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 09:36:04 -0700 2009
Olds explores this issue. How did this come to occur? Why? Where? What can be done about it?

Like most books about social problems, the thinnest section of the book is home remedies. And t...more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Mar 04 15:55:36 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 05 20:38:14 -0800 2009 Wed Mar 04 15:55:36 -0800 2009
At times it seems as if the authors will use anything (Netflix questionnaires?) to prove their point of view, yet most of their cites are concrete.

What bothered me mos...more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 23 11:34:42 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 23 11:35:59 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Sep 18 15:59:32 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 18 15:59:41 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Mon Mar 16 12:46:31 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 02 20:33:26 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Sat Apr 04 10:42:43 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 24 10:49:16 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Nov 19 11:24:18 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 19 11:24:18 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Wed Nov 04 05:39:59 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 04 05:39:59 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Sat Oct 24 10:26:59 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 24 10:26:59 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Sep 18 22:20:56 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 23 21:01:13 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Jul 28 11:06:18 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 28 11:06:18 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Mon Nov 16 18:43:49 -0800 2009 Tue Jul 21 22:44:13 -0700 2009 Mon Nov 16 18:43:49 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Mon Jul 13 22:16:10 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 13 22:16:10 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Jun 25 19:17:57 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 25 19:18:08 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Tue Jun 23 14:34:09 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 23 14:34:09 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Fri Jun 12 17:58:34 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 12 17:58:34 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Thu Aug 13 05:58:40 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 06 08:45:41 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 13 05:58:40 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Wed Sep 16 08:14:34 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 04 15:07:58 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 16 08:14:34 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=4837512