Once upon a time, at the dawn of the digital age, the great utopian promise of the internet was that we would all be more connected than ever before. Our computers and devices would allow us to reach across borders, time zones, oceans…and link up with people all over the globe.
Now, just a few decades on, this promise rings hollow. With more of us single than ever before, and 1 in 5 reporting feelings of loneliness on a daily basis, most of us have never felt more cut off from our fellow human beings...or more alone in the world.
To rescue ourselves, we need to face up to the task of finding – and building – genuine communities. Later in the month, The School of Life will launch the first in a new series of live experiences, offering you the chance to meet up with like-minded members of our community and come together over some fascinating ideas. In the meantime, we’ll bring you tips and exercises for sharpening your social skills: helping you remember how to talk to, date, console and – ultimately – love your neighbour. Unlock more articles like this with unlimited digital access when you subscribe to The School of Life. Get 50% off for a limited time only. | | | One of the most painful aspects of psychological or emotional ill-health is the sense that we are suffering alone. Other people seem to manage just fine; it’s a mark of our own malignancy that we have ended up in such a dark place…
That’s why, very often, there is nothing more liberating than hearing someone else say ‘I feel just that way too’, or ‘the same thing happened to me’, or ‘thank God, I thought I was the only one.’
It’s one of the reasons why The School of Life recommends – and provides – group therapy. It’s a chance not only to open up about our struggles, but also to hear those of other people – and realise that we are never alone.
| | | We apply therapeutic ideas to the world of work too, helping you and your colleagues overcome any challenges and solve the dilemmas of being human. Our specialist faculty bring their professional and academic expertise to our At Work programme and engage audiences with their dynamism, charisma and warmth. | | | The Workshop is a new podcast from The School of Life which takes you behind the scenes of our organisation – and lets you listen to our ideas taking form. Leading the conversation are Alain de Botton, our founder and creative director, and John Armstrong, The School of Life’s philosopher-in-chief.
In every episode, Alain and John tackle one of life’s fundamental questions: Can people change? What makes a good friend? What is psychotherapy? Does love have to come to an end?
Complete episodes of The Workshop are available exclusively for paying subscribers to The School of Life. To listen to our first episode in full, and to hear each new episode as soon as it’s released, subscribe to The School of Life and download our app today. | | | Follow us on social media: | | | |
