Disconnection In A Hyper-Connected World
Selfhood, the quiet architecture of the inner life, is essential. We must tend to the cracks. Loneliness is not merely an absence of people; it is an erosion, a slow sinking into the quicksand of self-doubt. We watch it now, sharp and undeniable, on the screens we hold close, reflecting a communal ache. It is the sound of the contemporary young woman, surrounded by shimmering things, whispering into the void.
The Geography of Projected Fame
In HBO’s new comedy, *I Love LA*, creator and star Rachel Sennott maps out the interior landscape of the striving twenty-something. They chase visibility in a vast city, hungry for influencer income, for the algorithmic nod.
They wear youthful exuberance like a flimsy cape. But the chaos isn't humorous; it’s frantic. It’s desperation cloaked in filters. Like the New York-set shows before it, the friendships here arrive pre-packaged with air quotes. They are hollow, the connections brittle. No one genuinely likes the person sitting next to them, only what that proximity might offer.
This particular type of alienation stems from necessity.
The older generations delivered a world demanding ceaseless, relentless hustle simply to stay afloat. Seeking meaningful, time-consuming relationships—the kind that root and sustain—becomes a luxury. A fool’s errand. The characters are miserable, frantic to hide that fact, maybe even from the mirror. It is not just Albuquerque, nor Los Angeles. The entire world seems touched by this mysterious, accelerating force of disconnection.
Carol and her prickly personality, somehow, remain perfectly immune to whatever it is that causes others to shift, to bend. A brutal, inescapable irony: so much human contact, yet so few human bonds.
Mattering and the Armor of Sarcasm
Netflix's *Nobody Wants This* tackles the sting of isolation head-on, delivering loneliness wrapped in the fizzy cellophane of a romantic comedy.
Justine Lupe plays Morgan, a character who uses sarcasm—the quickest armor—to deflect her deep insecurities. She watches her sister find a genuine connection. This proximity to authentic warmth makes Morgan’s own chilliness painfully evident. Her faux-blasé affect cracks, visible fissures appearing at the worst moments.
A real incident, small, slicing deep: A business call concerning both siblings.
The man on the phone asks if they should include Morgan, or if she doesn't matter. The question, delivered casually, is a dagger. Morgan frantically jumps in, sharp, immediate. "Hi, I matter! Hi!" A genuinely funny line. But the subtext is heavy, pulling the viewer down with its undertow of pure desperation. In Season 2, that intense yearning drives Morgan into an ethically dubious relationship with her therapist.
A relationship built not on shared life, but on the overwhelming need to finally, desperately, *matter* to someone.
The Depressing Subtext of Competition
The ethos of this alienated existence is perhaps best summarized by the tagline for the new season of the reality spinoff of *Squid Game*. The market determines value.
The system demands sacrifice. Why make friends when you can make millions? We need both money and companionship for survival. These televised contests, designed for entertainment, present the heartbreaking choice as a given: you cannot secure one without dismantling the other. The implied message, bleak and efficient, is that human connection is a liability.
The millions beckon. The cost, astronomical.
In the sweltering heat of summer, young women wander the city streets, their faces a mask of solitude. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, a growing number of young women are experiencing loneliness, a phenomenon that transcends geographical boundaries and socioeconomic lines. This sense of disconnection is not just a feeling, but a ___d experience that seeps into every pore, every conversation, every waking moment.
The statistics are stark: a recent study found that nearly 1 in 5 young women report feeling lonely, with many more experiencing feelings of isolation and disconnection.
The Chicago Tribune notes that this trend is particularly pronounced among young women aged 18-25, who are more likely to report feeling lonely than their male counterparts or older women.
This loneliness is not just a personal issue, but a societal one, with far-reaching implications for mental health, relationships, and overall well-being. As these young women navigate the complexities of modern ___, they are often met with a culture that valorizes connection and community, yet simultaneously perpetuates isolation and disconnection.
Social media, in particular, has become a double-edged sword, providing a sense of connection to others while also exacerbating feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.
Looking to read more like this: Check hereThe HBO comedy “I Love LA” (which premiered last week) tackles a familiar story of humorously chaotic 20-something strivers, with their dreams of ...●●● ●●●
