> many of the malaises that people suffer today, which we ascribe as individual psychological problems, are really just a result of how profoundly lonely and isolating media consumption is
Media consumption is just a replacement for social interaction. And it exists only because people dont have time and energy left for socialization and other activities after work. Our society is geared towards extracting maximum profits from people. It does not permit them to have any excess energy left at the end of the workday.
>And it exists only because people dont have time and energy left for socialization and other activities after work.
Did people not socialize in the days before worker protections demanded worker protections? I just don't think your reasoning covers the causes well, especially in the suburbanite 40 hour week type that travel by car for an hour+ a day to a single family home.
Media consumption exists because technology has allowed media to show up everywhere at all times very rapidly and we have not had a society wide inoculation to its negative effects.
> Did people not socialize in the days before worker protections demanded worker protections?
Socialization was a luxury that certain segments afford before worker protections. Most families worked, children and all, and after doing what daily chore needed to be done at home, they slept. Socialization happened during dinner etc, which is why a lot of working class families used to give a lot of importance to dinner.
People don’t have the energy to spend time with people because everyone is guarded now. Back in the day everyone usually knew the worst parts/weaknesses/fears of everyone else you spent time with. This made spending time with those people very comfortable.
No evidence but this is how it still is in South/East Asia.
Also anecdotally the best friends are the ones that are constantly making fun of each other. The modern recommendation of speaking in psychologist provided templates don’t lead to close connections, atleast in my experience.
Media consumption is just a replacement for social interaction. And it exists only because people dont have time and energy left for socialization and other activities after work. Our society is geared towards extracting maximum profits from people. It does not permit them to have any excess energy left at the end of the workday.