- Shaheen Shivji was happier in Kabul. There were bombs going off outside the compound where she worked for a development agency, but she preferred life in the Afghan capital to the one she had at home in Abbotsford, B.C., for one simple reason: She wasn’t lonely.
“For the first time in my adult life, I didn’t feel isolated,” she says. “I felt socially connected, I was with like-minded people. I was doing something important to better the world.”
Good article. Personally, I wouldn't have minded a longer, more in-depth look at some of the things touched on, but then again, there were a lot of big topics to cover. The article touched on the fact that in Western countries and in America and Canada in particular, that roads are more common than parks. I really wish that it had taken a closer look at how the car has contributed toward loneliness. Of course, one could write a whole article on that alone. I have mentioned before on separate occasions that I walk quite a lot and that I don't like driving cars. What bothers me most about cars is that they create a huge disconnect from the experience of being on the road. It's so easy to get distracted in a car and in my opinion, they are too comfortable and lend themselves to a sense of well-being. That's fine, but it's a lot easier to be alert on a motorcycle. Not only that, but a motorcycle does not offer any false promises of safety. I liked that walking more was offered as a way to get people in closer proximity with each other and I think it's a real shame that most towns and cities in America and Canada aren't designed with a walking population in mind.
I might even do that. The North American landscape is dominated by single-use zones: massive slabs of land dedicated to one use only, such as housing districts, financial districts and malls. Instead of having your work and shopping around the corner, you're basically forced into a car to get where you need to go on a daily basis. Lewis Mumford wrote about this in 1961, warning us for the future: While the full text is more doomful and dystopian, there's definitely truth in it. But you can't entirely blame the city for that. It has just as much to do with our increasing individualism, the decline of the communities and even the increased online contact. We seem to forget that to meet new people, we need to step out of the seemingly solid community circles we live in. Try something new once in a while. There are tons of small communities where you can meet lots of new people, it's just that you need to go look for them.Of course, one could write a whole article on that alone.
The end product is an encapsulated life, spent more and more either in a motor car or within the cabin of darkness before a television set. [...] Those who accept this existence might as well be encased in a rocket hurtling through space, so narrow are their choices, so limited and deficient their permitted responses. Here indeed we find 'The Lonely Crowd.'
Well, certainly I think that those are strong contributors, but I would say that for example, cities in the the Netherlands tend to be better structured for more social interaction. Yes, many individuals do ride bicycles, but one can still interact with others while on a bicycle. Not to mention that the excellent bus and rail systems are structured to accommodate bicycle riders. Anyway, I'd be interested in reading more about this from an urban planning perspective, so I do hope you'll take some time to put something together.It has just as much to do with our increasing individualism, the decline of the communities and even the increased online contact.
That is most definitely true, but the article above was focussing a bit too much on the city side, so I felt compelled to highlight other important contributors to this increasing solitude. Cities here often have energetic city centres, with lots of bars, terraces and shops, so people nearly always have a place to come together. I noticed when I went to Canada (which is basically America-Light) that there was a distinct lack of space that belonged to everyone. The fact that a mall of all places is considered the main meeting point, even being a trope says something about the lack of public open spaces (and also about the consumer-centric American society but that's a whole different discussion). I'll definitely work on something! The only problem is that all these things are related and that makes it hard to choose what exactly I want to talk about. But I'll try to work something out.I would say that for example, cities in the the Netherlands tend to be better structured for more social interaction.
Anyway, I'd be interested in reading more about this from an urban planning perspective, so I do hope you'll take some time to put something together.
veen, all topics are big topics. Take a piece of it, start small. For example, show us one area of your town and how it works to break down loneliness. The mall is a main meeting point because it's cold from November to April. The malls are heated. In summer people go to the outdoor public open spaces and sit on grass - yes even in Canada. A lot of Canadian cities have extensive underground malls as well. Of course, the indoor spaces, and all spaces could be designed better to encourage more interactions.The fact that a mall of all places is considered the main meeting point, even being a trope says something about the lack of public open spaces
I agree that that's difficult. Though, the nice thing about having one's own blog is that one can post whatever one would like. For example, one could create several posts exploring a particular topic to the creator's satisfaction :) Oh, that is a hornet's nest :) But, it is true that urban planning in Canada and the US are very, very similar.The only problem is that all these things are related and that makes it hard to choose what exactly I want to talk about.
I noticed when I went to Canada (which is basically America-Light) that there was a distinct lack of space that belonged to everyone.
True, but it's hard to post what I like when I don't yet fully understand what I like and want to show the world. Hah, I know! Meant it on a city level. When I came to Canada to visit the Edmonton / Calgary / Rockies, I found it to fit my image of what America looks like pretty good. Especially the huge supermarkets, large highways and sprawl here and there. The small towns with a Main Street filled with fastfood drive-throughs. This was before I started studying urban planning though. Very interesting nonetheless.Though, the nice thing about having one's own blog is that one can post whatever one would like.
Oh, that is a hornet's nest :)
The Innovation of Loneliness: http://vimeo.com/70534716