The Quiet Life with Susan Cain

The Quiet Life with Susan Cain

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The Quiet Life with Susan Cain
The Quiet Life with Susan Cain
The "Anti-Social Century"?
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The "Anti-Social Century"?

Plus, our next Candlelight Chat is this Sunday, Jan 12, from 1-2 PM ET

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Susan Cain
Jan 10, 2025
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The Quiet Life with Susan Cain
The Quiet Life with Susan Cain
The "Anti-Social Century"?
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What we lack in grandeur, this Sunday, we will make up for in coziness (image via EvaLovesDesign, on X)

Today, we’re talking about a new article called “The Anti-Social Century.” But first - our next Candlelight Chat is this Sunday, from 1-2 pm ET: please mark your calendar! This one’s for you, if you or a loved one struggles with perfectionism or social anxiety. We’re very excited to host Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, a clinical psychologist at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD), and the author of HOW TO BE ENOUGH: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists. Log-in and other info will go out tomorrow (Saturday), to paid and scholarship subscribers.

Join the Quiet Life, for art, ideas, consolations and candlelight (plus, for annual members, a free copy of the Quiet Life Journal! - shipping not included).

Dear You,

I had another Kindred Letter planned for you today, but I’m putting it on hold because I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new article in the Atlantic magazine, by Derek Thompson. It’s worth reading, if you happen to subscribe, but if not, I’ll summarize, and give you a few excerpts to think about and discuss. (Speaking of which - thank you so much for your incredible comments on our last two posts, “In My Time of Dying”, and How to Live a Quiet Life, in 2025. I savor every one of them - and love to see your conversations with each other, too.) Many of you remarked on how often I visit “light” topics like mortality and the meaning of life, and I had to laugh because that really is where my mind goes and I feel very lucky to have you to share these subjects with.

Which leads to today’s topic: the Atlantic's new article on "The Anti-Social Century". This piece examines the increasing trend of Americans spending time at home and by themselves. It highlights how technology (which encourages us to eat, watch movies, and use our phones, alone) has led to a decline in social interactions and social skills, and to increased political division. It also talks about what it calls the “introversion delusion” - citing studies (that we’ve talked about here before) finding that people feel temporarily happier after being prompted to socialize with strangers on commuter trains.

I have mixed feelings about this article because:

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