Typically I read Jeff Childers’ Coffee and Covid every morning. Moreover, because I not only find him to be entertaining but also agree with most everything he says, I often read him before I read anything else in the morning. However, on 2/7/24 o found myself disagreeing with his opinion on something from ABC-7 Chicago: “Mental health: California county becomes 1st in US to declare loneliness as public health emergency.
He seemed to be mainly ridiculing the all Democrat San Mateo Board of Supervisors because they were both Democrats and San Mateo County is in California. However, I was disappointed because other than mocking this Northern California county board, he had nothing to say about the ‘L’ word, “loneliness.”
Is loneliness a problem in the US? If so how big a problem?
If someone is a lawyer, like Jeff Childers, who interacts with multiple different people on most days, then loneliness is probably not much of a problem. Likewise, if someone is married and has a wife and children to go home to every evening like Mr. Childers does, then being alone at night could well be a blessing. Similarly, since most lonely individuals are not middle-aged extroverts, like the Coffee and Covid author, maybe keeping an open mind on this issue would be beneficial.
Personally, I am basically a conservative extrovert, but do recognize that loneliness is a major issue, especially in older individuals whose friends and spouse may have died, and who live not close to their family.
While I rarely agree with Democrats, perhaps the San Mateo Board of Supervisors is on to something with reference to the ‘L’ word.
2/8/24