Pascal Bruckner believes that the threats of global warming, terrorism, wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and divisive politics motivate more and more people to retreat to the safety of their homes. However, Bruckner cites many of the costs of this retreat from public life: depression, increased suicides, drug addiction, isolation, and social atrophy.
The Pandemic lockdowns accelerated these trends. The home became a wired cocoon that discourages any travel to the outside world. The internet, Netflix, and home delivery of Take-Out food make withdrawal comfortable and appealing. “Countless people in France and other European countries no longer wish to return to the office…” (p. 4). Both Patrick and Katie work from home a couple days a week now. They only go into the office for meetings and Birthday Parties.
“Should we be surprised that the birth rate collapsed in 2020…” (p. 11) Now economic as well as cultural factors make raising a family a pricey proposition.
“Every exceptional person,” writes Nietzsche, “instinctively seeks out his fortress, his secrecy, where he is delivered from the crowd, the multitude, the majority where he is allowed to forget the rule of ‘humanity,’ being exception to it.” (p. 71)
With so many divisions in our country, Bruckner’s warnings that isolation could make things a lot worse in the long run provides plenty to think about. Do you feel isolated? GRADE: A
Table of Contents
Preface: The Oblomov Hypothesis — viii
Chapter 1: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse . . . — 1
Chapter 2: The Bankruptcy of Eros? — 8
Chapter 3: Forbidden Travel? — 15
Chapter 4: Is a Banal Life Worth Living? — 24
Chapter 5: The Bovarysme of the Cell Phone –31
Chapter 6: Cave, Cell, and Bedroom — 36
Chapter 7: The Beauty of One’s Own Home — 43
Chapter 8: The Torments and Delights of a Life in Shackles — 49
Chapter 9: The Land of Sleep: Hypnos and Thanatos — 55
Chapter 10: Digital Wonderland or the Triumph of Slouching? — 61
Chapter 11: Diderot’s Dressing Gown — 73
Chapter 12: Those Who Have Deserted Modernity — 79
Chapter 13: Weather Sorrow — 87
Chapter 14: Existential Defeatism — 93
Chapter 15: The Extremists of Routine — 99
Conclusion: Fall or Transfiguration? — 104
Notes — 109
Sounds depressing, if true. I’ve always been a loner, worked at home all the years Jackie was teaching, so well comfortable sitting home most of the time. As long as there are two of you, you’re not alone, right? But yes, I know people who live alone and I’m sure it’s tough for some of them. (As I said, I’m a loner, so I think I could survive it better than most, if I had to.) We go out enough and interact with enough other people that I don’t feel like we’re isolated in a bad way.
But yes, we just heard from the cousin we spent a week with that her sister – a year older than me – who lives alone and rarely goes out, was just diagnosed with dementia.
When we first moved her over 35 years ago (!), we were among the younger people in this building, and there seemed a lot of elderly people. One day, as I held the door open and waited for an elderly woman to walk out, she gave me some advice I’ve never forgotten: “Don’t get old.”
Considering the alternative, I’ll take old age, as long as you can be old and healthy.
Jeff, there’s a spectrum of social interaction and I’m close to your position. My favorite activities, reading and writing, are solitary. I like good conversations and dinners with friends. But, Diane and I know many friends who live alone and face the problems of dementia you mention. We all should try to age gracefully…with some help.
I don’t feel isolated: I’m married, I’m still working, and I have extended group of family & friends that I see and stay in touch with. However, I do like being at home: as long as I have my books, an Internet connection, tv streaming services, and adequate air conditioning, as Austin Powers said, “I’m sound as a pound, baby.”
Deb, with the new Labour Government, the pound might be getting a lot more sound! Your Life sounds ideal!
I was somewhat isolated–some say justifiably so–until a few years ago, when I married a woman with more relatives than a Russian novel, and so many friends that when we went to Tulsa to pick up my Spur Award (See how subtly I slipped that in?) She convinced me to “stop on our way” and spend a week visiting a dozen or more folks she knew in San Francisco. It struck me as a little odd, really, how many of them called her by a different name and asked if the Sheriff knew she was back….
Dan, congratulations again on your Spur Award! And congratulations on choosing a woman who enriches your Life!
I’ve been a loner most of my life and loving it most of the time! I see other people just enough to avoid the label of hermit, but if I didn’t, I could live with it! Seems most of the time I go out these days is for a medical appointment or a shot at the casino!
Bob, Health and Wealth (at the casino)…a splendid mix!
I am the opposite. I get out as much as I can. So perhaps I have the opposite problem–the last few years have made me afraid of being alone for any length of time. I try to have activities with other people at least five days a week. It was probably different when Phil was here–but not a lot. We both liked to see other people at least Friday and Saturday nights. I can’t read more than 1-2 hours a day and watch TV about the same so that leaves a lot of hours to fill in. My senior center has helped a lot. I do exercise there four days a week, a book group, a writing group, and go to many of their musical offerings and lectures. I am sure this is more than you wanted to know.