The Lonely Century: Coming Together in a World that's Pulling Apart by Noreena Hertz

In January, I finished and defended my Master’s Thesis on Loneliness and Sports Betting Tendencies. My fascination with this subject stemmed from an episode of EconTalk where guest Noreena Hertz discussed modern loneliness and introduced her book "The Lonely Century: Coming Together in a World that's Pulling Apart." Immediately after finishing the episode I ordered the book and was in awe reading all the disheartening information delivered in an easy-to-read fashion. Thankfully the book ends optimistically with possible solutions partnered with some programs already working in some countries. Hertz explains that loneliness has become one of the most pressing challenges in society thanks to a number of reasons. The book analyses the root causes of modern-day loneliness and the conditions that have fostered the increasing feelings of isolation.

Hertz spotlights companies that have seen the monetary opportunities in loneliness. For example, the book explains that there are 620 thousand platonic “friends” for hire on the website Rent-a-Friend worldwide. This service offers companionship for a fee, with the core clientele being 30 to 40-year-old professionals, and highlights the scale of loneliness. The business opportunities of platforms like this are highlighted through statistics like two-thirds of Germans viewing loneliness as a major societal problem, over 60% of UK professionals feeling lonely at work, and 60% of adults in the United States consider themselves lonely.

Hertz also reviews the economic impact of loneliness on economies. In the UK, loneliness is estimated to cost the National Health Service approximately 1.8 billion pounds a year, this is comparable to the annual budget of the entire Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government combined. It is also estimated that loneliness-related sick days cost businesses around 800 million pounds annually.

By far the most popular statistic I've seen, not just in this book but in academic articles, newspapers and other books, is that loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and poses a greater threat than obesity and alcoholism.

The book goes on to explain possible reasons for how we got here. Hertz discusses how the majority of people can be found migrating to cities worldwide and the dichotomy of increased loneliness in cities. Also of course the role of technology in creating disconnection even when it allows for unlimited connection. As they say, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The explanation of the “death of third spaces” is fascinating. A third space represents a place that isn't your place of work or your home where you socialise with others. Hertz goes on to explain the drastic decrease in community centres, libraries and even the restrictions on outdoor areas since the financial crisis in 2008. The weirdest one I found was the “acne lights” that have been implemented in different parts of the UK, these are street lights that are made to exploit teenage acne to stop anti-social behaviour by teens or young adults. 

Thankfully, there are some positive ideas discussed in this book near the end. For example, in Korea many nightclubs open during the day for the elderly to socialise and dance. Also, in Germany, there is a program to connect people on different ends of the political spectrum to meet for coffee and explain their views. In the end, Hertz is simply explaining that society needs social environments separate from home and work where people can engage in meaningful interactions. We need to promote environments that foster genuine human connections and there needs to be programs created to encourage individuals and institutions to actively combat loneliness.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding and improving the current climate of quality social connections.