Loneliness Is on the Rise. Are Closer Neighbors a Solution? | Retro Report

Loneliness is on the rise, and it may be as harmful to health as cigarette smoking, medical experts say. Now some Americans are embracing a collaborative living arrangement called cohousing as a solution. Lesson plan for educators: retroreport.org/video/lonelin...
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[@bhiggins66]

Most people are disappointing, arrogant, selfish, annoying, & just outright suck. I'd prefer to be alone.

[@Annie-ll2jp]

Bighiggins, has it ever occurred to you that you might be the problem??

[@rebeccabilbrey3524]

I agree. Ive been dealing with lonliness more since i started chemotherapy. You have to be so careful both for your health and safty of others. Still it has been a blessing to have a few friends who call and check on me. My neighborhood is transitioning from older people who've lived here for years to short term rentals.

[@duo315]

4:57 Maslow's hierarchy of needs; no one thing is ever enough, ever

[@PacoOtis]

Excellent to know some remembers it! I'm from the old school! Best of luck!

[@PacoOtis]

When I was a kid all houses had large porches on the front where people could sit and greet neighbors. I have not seen a porch on a newer house in decades. Uhmm?

[@carlborman5165]

Pandemic for me was incredible. Work from home. Was easier with small children no daycare. I lost all my " fake " friends.i took the time to love myself and really take care of me. Being alone is awesome. Not needing no one is incredible

[@marianmorgan2156]

Bet the kids loves it

[@alexanderangelo7284]

You may love it. Others don't.

[@carlborman5165]

@alexanderangelo7284 for real !! Wow, i thought everyone was exactly the same as me !!!!!

[@alexanderangelo7284]

@carlborman5165 no need to be a sarcastic dick.

[@macthesaltydog]

Cohousing does a great job balancing privacy with community. Most new mainstream housing only gives you only privacy, which fosters loneliness. Also, cohousing is an amazing place for kids. They can run free with loving, trusted neighbors keeping an eye on them. I raised my 3 kids in Heartwood Cohousing. It's the best thing that could have happened to them. They often express how grateful they are to have been able to grow up here. They had many adults who were very positive influences for them. Their teachers regularly commented on how mature they were for their age and how skilled they were at communicating with people of all ages. Our kids (now in their 20's) have remained incredibly close to all the other community kids they grew up with - like family.

[@nowaywithyoueveragai]

The social fabric was totally ripped apart in the last 30 years. Was it the growing polarization? The crime? The lifestyle?

[@craisins95]

My city has some great co-op housing options that could easily be scaled up and adapted to other cities. It’s not for everyone but they’re definitely for a lot of people. This was interesting to watch.

[@RETROREPORT]

Thanks so much!

[@SusanA1056]

Except that it doesn't take into account the disabled or the elderly, who perhaps couldn't get from their home to their vehicle, I like it.

[@Rambam1776]

This might have been nice for me at one point, but now in my age I'm not really fit for any community.

[@CK-hu8vz]

Seems like a great idea until you get trapped near an annoying neighbor. I do have my community along with my privacy where I live. I prefer having my own home. It is about balance for me.

[@Annie-ll2jp]

Steph, appearance is way too important to you. You can no more judge a book by its cover than you can judge a person by their appearance. I strongly suggest you get over your shallowness and get past people's appearances and look deeper. You may be surprised by what you find. As for myself, I think it would be a lovely community to live in. Yes, I need my privacy, and I need those times when I just want to be alone. But at the same time, it would be comforting to know there are people around me who care enough to check in on me if they think somethings wrong just as I would do for them. And be able to get together to share a meal, talk, and enjoy each other's company. 😊😊😊

[@trishemerald2487]

No.

[@bedussy6749]

Yes.

[@marianmorgan2156]

Love it

[@RETROREPORT]

Thank you!

[@Oxol33]

Our media keeps telling us that our neighbors are our enemies, if they have different political opinions, skin color or religious beliefs. What did anyone expect would happen?

[@Annie-ll2jp]

Healthwolf, I think you mean there's nothing wrong with being alone, and there's not. But there's everything wrong with being lonely. Their two different things.

[@heathwolfe4579]

There is nothing wrong with being lonely. I love being lonely. There is nothing wrong with being lonely. Some people can't make or force other people to like them. That's why some people are lonely. 🤔

[@NohjAnec]

Well actually, loneliness can be as bad for your health as smoking. True story.

[@LukusCannon]

“Thing isn’t bad for me, must mean it’s not bad for anyone!”

[@jeshkam]

​@@NohjAnecIt depends.

[@seanwebb605]

@@NohjAnec I think that what we are saying is that for introverts we like to spend quite a bit of time alone. That doesn't always make us lonely, isolated or depressed. In fact when we are pulled into large social events too much we become nervous, anxious or on edge. Extroverts impose themselves on us. And despite this example of dirty hippies, social events also create the opportunity for "mean girls" and "bullies" and unprovoked conflicts with people that we would prefer to avoid. As bad for you as smoking X cigarettes has become a crutch for some lazy journalism. They use it for sugar and other health issues. No doubt some people are lonely and need more friends, more family connection, more friendly exchanges at work and in the world. My own social circle has become too small and my time socializing with family and friends too rare. But the last time I took some vacation time and reconnected with family and friends it proved to be too much. I caught up with one set of aunt and uncle, went to a baseball game with an old work friend and had dinner with another set of aunt and uncle. It took me a month just to recover. I have been on vacation all week and this time I chose to text an uncle, I'll see a baseball game with the same old work friend on Friday and quite by accident I ran into an old friend and caught up a bit a couple of days ago.

[@Grace-jb7me]

I think you mean alone. Alone and loneliness are two different things

[@cortashaelam320]

Relationship with God is the most important. You're not here for yourself, you're suppose to serve others, then you won't be lonely.

[@alexanderangelo7284]

I'm not religious. But I agree with you.

[@seanwebb605]

God left and he isn't coming back.

[@cortashaelam320]

@@seanwebb605 God is in heaven and Jesus will come back a second time.

[@seanwebb605]

@@cortashaelam320 Maybe Cancun, but highly unlikely. There are many other travel destinations.

[@cortashaelam320]

@@seanwebb605 I don't even know what you are talking about.

[@charlesb7019]

Absolutely not! More space between neighbors is the solution.

[@TheSouthIsHot]

Don't buy more house. Buy more LAND.

[@seanwebb605]

You're trying really hard not to call it a hippy commune. But it is what exactly? Very sloppy, messy, disorganized.....hippy commune. Jones Town. Manson Family.

[@stephtraveler7378]

None of the subjects in this study are attractive. Just stating the obvious. I think its hard to really give the programs a balanced view knowing it looks like everyone in your documentary is unattractive (some even are not well kept. long straggly hair, unshaven, wrinkly clothing....) Is this a solution for misfits?

[@jennypennylane5851]

In that case, I'd fit right in. I've been a misfit for most of my life. Just saying.

[@rebeccabilbrey3524]

What does attractiveness have to do with. Anything. Someone with a beautiful face can be a ugly human being.

This is a shockingly superficial view. Human relationships are based on much more than physical attributes.