I hear often that the world is currently experiencing a “loneliness epidemic”; for example, in Japan, pensioners are now often committing small crimes to end up in prison, where they'll feel less lonely. Another similar phenomenon is "atomization," when people live in an apartment building for years without interacting with their neighbors. I see that all of these phenomena have a common cause: politics.

Many people confirm to me that educated people, on average, have fewer friends than the uneducated ones. There are also studies showing that smart and educated people have fewer children, a problem mentioned in the film "Idiocracy":

I think that I understand perfectly how this works. Friendship requires common goals and interests; and when people in normal, non-sectarian groups begin discussing various intellectual topics, they inevitably start discussing politics. Then some of them become oppositionists, then the authorities punish them, and this discourages others from engaging in such communication. That’s why usually people find friends in so-called “interest clubs”, more exactly sects, where the goal of a group is called “important” for its members, but in fact the main purpose of it is only helping to find friends. This is very clearly evident in my country, but the same trends are evident in the West, only more hidden there. Western democracy is illusory, the deep state rules there.

A psychologist also told me that a person starts drinking alcohol, if he lacks a purpose in life—and this happens because his country lacks democracy, he can’t vote for something that makes the world better.

I am certain that if we introduce a political system with many referendums, people will easily make friends anywhere, and loneliness will disappear, as well as alcoholism.

10 minutes ago, Linkey said:

all of these phenomena have a common cause: politics.

You misspelled cell phones and social media

11 minutes ago, Linkey said:

Western democracy is illusory, the deep state rules there.

For someone who laments politics, you sure do bandy it about heavily in all your posts.

12 minutes ago, Linkey said:

I am certain that if we introduce a political system with many referendums, people will easily make friends anywhere, and loneliness will disappear, as well as alcoholism.

Well, so long as you’re convinced that’s good enough for me!

11 hours ago, Linkey said:

Many people confirm to me that educated people, on average, have fewer friends than the uneducated ones.

Your anecdotal evidence seems to run against what's been studied. Is that why you put this in The Lounge, so you could make stuff up?

NBC News

A stark social divide: Adults without college degrees mor...

The share of people who report having no close friends has risen, particularly among those who didn't graduate from college — creating a divide in people’s levels of social connection.

• In a survey, nearly a quarter of U.S. adults without college degrees said they had no close friends.

• People without college degrees also reported less participation in social activities like going to parks or restaurants than college-educated adults.