Comment by jedberg | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jedberg | Hacker News Reader

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I don't have much to offer you, but I have some questions if you're willing to answer:

1. Do you have a live in partner and/or children?

2. Do you work remotely?

I ask because I'm seeing similar sentiments more lately from friends who work remotely and live alone. Even those with active social lives still have this sense of lack of fulfillment.

But I don't see it amongst peers with live in partners or children or who work in an office. In fact I had some friends who were working remotely alone who either got partners or returned to the office and their outlook improved.

To be clear, I'm absolutely not suggesting that you should get a live-in partner or children or go to the office just for socializing.

I'm more making a comment on a trend I've noticed with the rise of remote work, and one that we as a society will need to work on fixing together without forcing everyone back to work.

(Edit: just one semi counterexample)

I work remotely with a live in partner of 7 years and we’re both feeling a lack of fulfillment. I work remotely, they work in an office.

Sure the pandemic might have had some play here but I don’t think it’s because we’re not in an office so much as these last few years have put things like “work” into perspective.

Interesting, thank you for offering your POV, and changing mine.

I liked your office / partner comment; I think there's a lot of truth in that.

I think a lot of people are really worn out. We have endless scrolling, tons of wars in the world, people are indebted, and realistically it doesn't matter how much you work; it's all unaffordable and many are losing hope.

I think the first world needs a large structural change. Government, capitalism, the whole nine yards. I think a lot of people are seeing the bullshit from the left and right and saying to themselves "surely I'm not the only one who thinks something is wrong."

This is a tale as old as time observation, and its spot on. We’re not meant to be alone. Those who are find something else to replace human company, usually a pet, or obsessive hobby.

I know the film gets some hate, but Ouiser from Steel Magnolias is a classic example. She’s a curmudgeon, but she’s not alone. The women in that town embrace her for who she is and they do life together. Everyone needs someone.

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