This holiday season has me thinking about how fortunate I am to have people in my life that care about me.

It also makes me think about the feeling that I have at times.

that I'm all alone, even in crowded rooms.

This feeling is riskier than most of us realize.

The World Health Organization claims loneliness is equivalent to 15 cigarettes a day, and the risks are greater than those that come with obesity or physical inactivity.

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That's why they've declared loneliness a global public health concern.

And no wonder, according to a worldwide 140-country Gallup meta-survey, 1 in 4 people, or more than a billion adults on the planet, are very or fairly lonely.

And a report from NPR suggests that that percentage is likely low because the poll wasn't allowed in China.

There must be more than a few lonely Chinese people

With this, we should consider why billion-ish people feel this way.

Many point to the ever-long tale of the COVID-19 pandemic, and no doubt that plays a role, but that can't be it.

The modern condition is filled with conveniences and wonders that are often hard to escape, as is the weight of it all.

In the strings attached,

I think we should slow down and ask, is all this worth it? And if its not what do we do about it?

Whether it is or not, at least I know I'm not alone.

What do you think and why are so many people lonely these days?

Let me know what you think in the comments at jamesbrowntv.substack.com

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