Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone

Loneliness today is not only the result of random circumstances, but also a conscious choice made by millions of people in developed countries. This is a new social reality of big cities—an informed decision among both young people of the “creative class” and older people who want to grow old alone.

Sociologist, PhD at New York University, Eric Klinnenberg studies the phenomenon of modern loneliness. For him, it’s a consequence of changes in urban spaces that make it possible to experiment with one’s way of life. Just as important is the increased role of women, the “social networks” revolution, and the jump in average life expectancy.

The author comes to an unexpected conclusion: living alone doesn’t necessarily mean feeling lonely. Being alone at a certain stage of your life is not only not scary—it can be interesting, even necessary.