Talking about loneliness nowadays is like talking about social networks 20 years ago. Basically, it did not exist.
If we ask young people how many times they feel lonely during the day, the answer would probably be never. Technology, like cellphones and computers, has become an important tool in the fighting against the loneliness. Why I say that you may ask? It is because that is one of the things that stick with you 24/7. You might even want to call it your “best friend”. They are the “person-thing” that is always there when you want to express your feelings and the easiest way to let the others know how you are feeling in that moment.
It seems like young people have not really experienced loneliness and would not want to experience it. Social networks are the perfect places for adolescents to keep in touch with the world, to interact and chat with friends about topics of interest. The most common thing they do is post their feelings and pictures; so the rest of the world knows who they are. “This is what the contemporary self wants. It wants to be recognized, wants to be connected: It wants to be visible,” as William Deresiewicz explains in his article “The End of Solitude.”
With clarity we are making our lives public, we are seeking people’s attention and approval of what we do, and we even ask for an opinion before we make a decision. Loneliness is no longer part of our lives, we are always connected on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and checking every 2 minutes for updates. There is a huge necessity of being out there; letting people know what should be kept to ourselves; with that said, we have lost our privacy.
For instance, young people will never really be certain about what loneliness is. They do not take time to sit and talk to themselves and reevaluate what is going on in their lives. Contrary to this they are posting, and therefore existing.