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The Age Of Loneliness

from *Orchestral Suite #1 by Steve Shapiro

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lyrics

Loneliness has become an epidemic among young adults. It is just as great an affliction of older people. We have created a human society where it is easier for people to become cut off from all human connections than ever before. Loneliness is a major public health issue, a silent epidemic that's starting to kill us.

Profound changes in technology, work and community are transforming our social species into a population of loners. Work, which used to bring us together, now disperses us. Many people have neither fixed workplaces nor regular colleagues or regular hours. Our leisure time has undergone a similar transformation: cinema replaced by television, sports by computer games, "time with friends" by time on Facebook.

Social media seems to cut both ways: it brings us together and sets us apart. It helps us to stay in touch, but also cultivates a tendency that surely enhances other people’s sense of isolation: a determination to persuade your followers that you’re having a great time. Fear of missing out seems to be closely ­associated with loneliness.

The stress response triggered by loneliness raises blood pressure and impairs the immune system. Loneliness enhances the risk of depression, paranoia, addiction, cognitive decline, dem­entia, heart disease, stroke, viral infection, accidents and suicide. Loneliness impedes its own cure by breeding shame and shyness.

Strong relationships and strong connections to other people seem to be the key to a happy life. We cannot cope alone.

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from *Orchestral Suite #1, released June 25, 2019

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Steve Shapiro Oakland, California

Steve Shapiro has composed music for hundreds of radio and TV commercials, documentary films, infomercials and other TV programs. He was the music director at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, which produced hundreds of award-winning educational films and recordings. He has a BA in Music from Brown University and an MA in Music from the Manhattan School of Music. ... more

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