> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of Dan Minette
[snip]
> Well, we are a lot less capitalistic than we were 75 years ago. So, its
> hard to argue that capitalism is at the root of loneliness.
That wouldn't have been my first guess, but it makes me curious. However,
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that less of the U.S. economy
operates as a free market, or that the markets are less free? Or something
else?
> I can look at
> other social changes and see much more obvious causes:
>
> 1) Divorce
> 2) People moving away from families
> 3) The decrease of religion as a force in the US
> 4) The acceptance of a wider range of freedom; fewer social norm
> restraints
> 5) The acceptance of sex outside of a committed relationship
> 6) Job hopping
You're looking for causes and effects, which I think leads to circles.
These things are certainly both causes and effects of one another, and tied
into many others things. I'm arguing for a root cause that I would expect
you will appreciate, even if you don't agree -- too much faith in the human
inventions of capitalism and democracy. Do you imagine that God is a
capitalist and a democrat (note the little 'd' there, please!
> I, for one, am not very lonely. I have a loving, supportive family and
> church community. I'm married to the same person for 23 years, and have
> three children that fill my life. I admit, working at home I
> sometimes feel
> a bit out of touch, but I work on maintaining my network. Now, I will
> probably feel a bit lonely when the kids move out, but that reflects 2.
> Indeed, my being relatively unaffected by 1 and 3 probably
> explains my lack
> of loneliness.
>
> Other countries do not have a stronger religious base, but they have much
> stronger social norms. The US is strongest on personal freedoms.
> Loneliness is often the price of being out on one's own.
Have you read Randy Frazee's "The Connecting Church"? I think you'd enjoy
it. It hasn't been out very long, though, so it might be hard to find in a
bookstore. I bought mine from Amazon.
Nick
