These people don't seem to understand that solitary confinement is actually torture. There was a good episode of Law and Order SVU that illuminated it.
It's not necessarily torture. It depends if it is forced upon a person or if it is freely chosen. There's also a difference between isolation and solitude. Solitude can be a very positive thing. Hermits live alone and seldom see another human being. But, if they're called to this vocation, it can be their path to intimacy with God, unity with all of creation, and knowledge of themselves.
