Restoring The Common Good In Divided Times, An Analysis

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Loneliness has become an epidemic in our society today. Many people from all over the world admit that they feel some sense of loneliness. Jonathan Sacks proposes that this could be a result of the present-day culture moving from “we” focused to “I” focused. This cultural shift creates less community and increases selfishness among individuals. It begins to push society away from the unity it once had. Jonathan Sacks writes in his book Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times, “When ‘I’ prevails over ‘We’, loneliness follows.” Could this be the cause of loneliness? Loneliness could result from a unified culture and society becoming less unified and more selfish. The individualism that this world seeks comes at a high cost. In a way, it blocks future generations from becoming community centered, and forces them to become …show more content…
The World Health Organization writes that “social isolation and loneliness are widespread, with an estimated 1 in 4 older people experiencing social isolation and between 5 and 15 percent of adolescents experiencing loneliness.” Both social isolation and loneliness are proven to be ongoing problems, even in an ever-connected world (through technology). With further study, the effects and dangers of social isolation and loneliness are threatening. The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of high-quality and beneficial connections and friendships, not only for one’s emotional and mental health, but even physical health. This issue is often pushed aside by the current society. In a world that is so connected to technology and cell phones, it is quite easy to overlook the issue of loneliness. “Social isolation and loneliness are important, yet neglected, social determinants for people of all ages - including older people.” Jonathan Sacks gives an example of breast cancer patients with different levels of support by their social