Scientists discover: One is not the loneliest number

Scientific research often seems to fill two categories: the blatantly obvious (the more calories you consume, the more you will weigh) and the totally nonsensical. At first glance, this new study, which has concluded that “loneliness is catching,” falls into the second category:

“Loneliness can spread from person to person to person — up to three degrees of separation,” said James H. Fowler, co-author of the study published in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego.

“What this means is that if I don’t know anything about you, but I know your friend’s friend is lonely, then I can do better than chance at predicting whether or not you will be lonely,” he said.

Indeed, the study suggests that not only is loneliness contagious, but lonely people tend to isolate themselves in small groups that somehow compound or increase those feelings of solitude…..

Loneliness May Be Catching – US News and World Report

So I’m sitting here thinking, how can you be lonely when surrounded by friends? But aha, they are lonely friends! A group of loners! I think I get it. And suddenly this negates all sorts of popular songs, including: “One is the Loneliest Number,” “All by Myself,” “Alone Again (Naturally)” and half of everything Hank Williams wrote. To say nothing of “Eleanor Rigby.”

Thanks to brave new research (and think about it: somebody actually got paid to do this), we now know where all the lonely people come from. And now the question becomes: How do we help them get out?