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The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone,
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Dani Gardner
When a feeling is not longer felt, it can be surmised that that feeling has, in a sense, died. I think that if there is any take away at all from Laing's book, it is that loneliness is not entirely a bad feeling. It is the basis by which profound art has come to be. To be enveloped in loneliness is to deeply reflect on the society that has given you a language to describe the feeling and an assessment that allows you to determine that you are in fact feeling lonely.
Much of Laing's book is about artists whose work, in some way or another, has portrayed loneliness. A majority of the artists have then died, and Laing analyzes their art posthumously. Thus, if we know about the work that has been produced during periods of profound loneliness, and we recognize our mortality, it can be concluded that the feeling of loneliness is one that has the capability to produce worthwhile art. Loneliness, and all other emotional states of the human experience die when we do. I think Laing is trying to tell her readers not to push loneliness away, or substitute it with any person or object. If one dwells in loneliness, then they might figure out or produce something much greater than themselves. Something that others can resonate with, or better, learn from.
Much of Laing's book is about artists whose work, in some way or another, has portrayed loneliness. A majority of the artists have then died, and Laing analyzes their art posthumously. Thus, if we know about the work that has been produced during periods of profound loneliness, and we recognize our mortality, it can be concluded that the feeling of loneliness is one that has the capability to produce worthwhile art. Loneliness, and all other emotional states of the human experience die when we do. I think Laing is trying to tell her readers not to push loneliness away, or substitute it with any person or object. If one dwells in loneliness, then they might figure out or produce something much greater than themselves. Something that others can resonate with, or better, learn from.
Jack
The way that I interpreted the statement is death, when there is no longer any feeling at all. I think the author is urging understanding and perhaps some empathy in the different facets of loneliness as death will come day and there won't be anything to feel after that.
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