Loneliness is considered pretty much as a disease in today’s
world. Although it is intriguing as to why it is so? Single people (in general)
and people who enjoy their solitude (in particular) are seen as some alien breeds
who don’t know how to enjoy their life. Everything is custom designed for two
people or more; cars, bikes, theatre seats, custom menu in fast food joints
(meal for two, meal for three), for God’s sake nowadays even watches and
perfumes come out in pairs. The aversion shown towards lonesome people is
hurtful and condescending.
Why cannot a person go for a movie alone? Eat his meals
alone at a cafe without a set of cutlery lying unused at the other end of the
table? Drive alone in peace without the ‘seat belt for the passenger seat
unfastened’ continuously blinking in front of the eye? Why cannot a person go online
and surf without ‘meet single girls in your area’ pop-ups coming after every
click of the mouse? We are born human, not humen! It is not necessary that we hang out in more than one.
I'm yet to come across a seat for a single person in a park,
it is always a bench! There are no tables for a single occupant in a cafe. This
has become a world dominated by the power of two. ‘Buy 2, get 1 free’, ‘Hum do,
humaare do’. Reach the age of mid 20s and the whole family starts pestering you
to get married. The first question on everybody’s mind is “Are you seeing
someone?” When did staying single become such a big social stigma? If you live
alone, it is either because you’re in a long distance relationship, or you’re a
serial killer. Go drinking alone and the bartender gives you special attention
as you must be in an emotionally broken state of mind.
If you tell your family and friends that you are planning a
trip alone, they’ll give you the most sympathetic look, as if they just found
out that you are suffering from a terminal disease and they can do nothing to
help you survive. Single people should be given their space and time; just
because they are single does not imply that they are always free and jobless.
The only people who really understand single people are the video-game
developers. They see such people not as
a chronic disease infecting the society but as an important part of the society
and economy. They should be given grants and subsidies by the government for targeting
the most valuable and under-appreciated segment of the society.
"You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone
with." ~Wayne Dyer
Quite an interesting thought.....The reason why it happens is we live in a society and being alone is something that is considered as a kind of alien thing. But yes, not everyone has someone. I myself at many times think of going out alone, but the eyeballs chasing do bring some embarrassment and destroys the fun of being alone....
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