More lonely than ever?

November 10, 2009  |  By Rebecca Thorman  |

 

Via WeHeartIt. 

My loneliness has definitely increased since my last job. I’m much happier, but I don’t interact with as many people daily. Maybe I should blog more? The New York Times reports that may not be such a bad idea:

Hundreds of daily updates come from friends on Facebook and Twitter, but do people actually feel closer to each other? It turns out the size of the average American’s social circle is smaller today than 20 years ago, as measured by the number of self-reported confidants in a person’s life. Yet contrary to popular opinion, use of cellphones and the Internet is not to blame, according to a new study released Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

In fact, people who regularly use digital technologies are more social than the average American and more likely to visit parks and cafes, or volunteer for local organizations, according to the study, which was based on telephone interviews with a national sample of 2,512 adults living in the continental United States.

Does Technology Reduce Social Isolation? via The New York Times.