The Innovation of Loneliness 

"What is the problem in having a conversation? It takes place in real time and you can't control what you're going to say." Sums it up.

I wish everyone on the internet watched this at least once.

This video was made to be shared by social networks. People is seeing and commenting it in Internet, and I'm pretty sure most of them will forget it soon. Me too. How ironic.

Solitude is a beautiful thing, leave your phone at home at least one day a week.

Social media has started to make me feel genuinely depressed and more lonely...

This is a fantastic piece of work that should stir a lot of conversation with my students! This will truly make them think about how they connect and interact with each other! Thank you for the great work.

As a person who has had awful experiences with interpersonal relationships, mostly due to a pessimistic, untolerable personality, social networking gives me something that real life can't: the ability to express my ideas, no matter how digressive with the positivism of the world, with an easy route to escape the rebuking, a way to be myself with impunity so to say, instead of having to take as mine the general opinions that everyone but me share.

'Loneliness' is created in your head by yourself. Is all up to YOU. I can honestly say I never feel lonely.

People take social media way to seriously.

people are forgetting how to be alone with themselves. Whenever you feel the slightest bit of loneliness, you pick up your smartphone and away you go. being alone sometimes is necessary! being connected all the time is overwhelming.

And that's why, ladies and gentlemen, I deactivated my facebook profile. Trust me, as a 16 year old girl, deactivating a facebook profile equals more time, therefore more time to be productive, more time to procrastinate. Deactivate your facebook profile - You won't regret it, I promise. You will have a lot of more time. Time is gold.

"..we're expecting more from technology, and less from each other"

This is a very narrow definition of social media. People are saying this is food for thought, but honestly it's food for squares. Very narrow, and untrue.

This is so true, the reason people would rather text/msg or even go in a chatroom with someone rather than talking with them voice to voice is because it justifies the longer amount of time in between replies and allows one to think of what to say next

This is Sooo Scary because its Soo True!! The Inconvenient Truth! Awakening from Denial, that we are not Lonely! :( Bravo to the Makers of this Video! Excellent Video!

Through my experience as a teenager social media is nothing but a vehicle for boosting and promoting one's image and reputation, but of course legitimate users of social media whose sole purpose is to connect with friends still exist.

The problem with this video is its rhetorical tone. It presupposes that we are all obsessed with our social media personas. This is true of certain people, but not everyone, and it's a big turnoff when someone tries to tell me what I believe and how I act. Then attempts to convince me I need to change. "We are all lonely and obsessed with social media." Speak for yourself, dude.

Completely agree with this. It obviously doesn't apply to everyone, but it makes a good point. People don't socialize like they used too. Imagine how many of the teenage shootings, suicides, etc. that could have been prevented if people actually talked to each other more in person. People have so many "friends" nowadays, but how many of them would show up to help you move, talk to you about your problems face to face, or just help you out at all in a time of need. Think about it

Great summary of Sherry Turkle's TED talk. Well done with the animations and narration! "We're collecting friends like stamps" is often so true. I'm looking for deep connections and conversations with people.

This is a stellar truncated explanation of an epidemic most of us aren't even aware exists, let alone know that we are susceptible to. Nice work!

Not sure how I feel about the fact I shared this on facebook....

i wasn't sure what i felt about it until that last summarizing line. that's going to be some serious food for thought. thanks!

This video is dumb, social networking is a great way to not be lonely. Right now for instance, without the internet I'd be bored in my room with no one to interact with. Instead, I'm on youtube reading the comments of hundreds of people and posting a comment that I know hundreds will see. It decreased the feeling of being alone, which is a good thing.

Social media isn't about quantity, quantity is just how people use it. I've had plenty of real conversations over FB with my real friends that I know deeply. This video is only about how social media portrays how it is, not actually how people use it.

Still waiting youtube algoritam to put this in recommended...

I found facebook a life-saver when I was ill and couldn't go out. I kept up with what everyone was up to ... not a lot. I was also in a closed group on facebook and found this much more helpful as we shared a common interest of crafting. I felt connected.

Exactly. We're losing the human touch, in a very scary way.

10 years later and it’s even more true now

Great talk. Great perspective

Sherry Turkle has a wonderful TED talk that follows the same line of thought. It's called "Connected, but alone?". Highly recommended.

Do we have an app for this?

I am soooo happy you posted this. It's eye opening.

This rings truer every year

"the Western world sanctions individuality. The individual is measured by personal achievements... in this course of action many people lose their social and familial connections in favor of a self-actualization ideal" That is the disease right there. Social media dependence is only a symptom.

I don't friend people who I live near or work with. I want to interact with my family on a day to day level as they are all too far away. While the points here may not be true in every case they are strong and true in most cases. I will be backing away from social media just that little bit more. Thank you for putting it so well.

well done :) its really deep :(

Favorite RU-vid informational video of all time.

I really enjoyed your video, well done! One criticism, please correct the audio mixing. The sound effects are too loud compared to your speech.

Unbelievably radical and life-changing. I wish this was more understood and comprehended throughout more of society.

I have a problem with this video, and it has to do with the part where it generalizes that everyone on the internet is trying their hardest to seem perfect. I have close friends that I've made over the internet that literally just behave like normal human beings. My friends are very honest about their lives and don't try to sugarcoat anything. Conversely, to me it seems in _real life_ many people tend to try to look their best and fit in with the rest of the world. There have been many times where I have felt lonely even amongst my real life friends. The shine and sparkle exists just as much in the real world as it does on the internet, it just takes a little more social know how. Everyone _feels_ lonely occasionally, but it's important to not pin it all on the big bad social networking. However, I do agree that *being* alone, something people should really do more, is becoming harder given the internet.

I can only hope that this gets more viewers and hopefully it's message sinks into the heads of those who need it or at least for a few people that I know.

GIVE THIS MAN A COOKIE

I honestly feel sorry for anyone who really relates with this video.

The same argument was made about telegraphs, telephones, and TV's. Then, as now, it is nonsense. Even in person, people edit and play roles, from group to group, person to person. Who here speaks to their parents as they do their closest friend and in turn their boss? I worry that such reactionary assertions as this are part of the normal course of ludditism that all great sociocultural changes brought about by technology are, sadly, afflicted by.

this video has summed up what I've been feeling lately! Nice work. One massive point for me is that we can censor ourselves online, all the hesitating, freudian slips, stuttering, "eeeh"s etc are gone, and hence you don't present what we humans deem an actual person.

Actually it is not the Western Modern world that promoted Individualism, personal achievements, career, self image and consumerism, it is the American model of capitalism. Consumerism was never at the core of Western Europe, where family, tradition and the idea of Terroir, the land, the belonging to a village, a region, a people are still important....Until the American model tries to dominate the world,,,

Please, uploader, this should be subtitled in more than just one language. Let the community help translate the subtitles and spread this vital piece of information even now, more than 7 years later

this was so amazing, and so well done! thanks so much for taking the time to research, create, and communicate and SHARE this (lol) so widely. i agree that technology serves great purpose and don't think anyone is advocating to get rid of technology or facebook or whatever - but just not to simply let it define and substitute for real relationships, which is more of what life is all about than our image anyway right?

Very thoughtful. I personally never thought of it that way and I'm glad that I can now say that my tendency to not go on social sites is not only not unhealthy but could be considered better for me.

Louis C.K. basically said this already, but great video!

You are soooo right; you hit the nail right on the head. I just wish others could see just how right you are, and how alone we really are.

Some of the most successful, groups that were/are united towards a common goal are those of Military origin: these groups are all comprised of connected individuals and have been far more in terms of numbers than the maximum of 150 that this video proposes. Definitely for for thought though.

Loved this - we are surrounded by people, and yet have very few real strong bonds. Its all so shallow.

anyone here because the teacher told you to do it

I love how it's not just condemning social media, but taking a look at the vanity behind it. More of a cautionary tale? What I don't understand is why more people don't connect on voip (Skype) calls online as a casual way of hanging out when physical restrictions get in the way. VOIP is much more personal.

cool video

dude... this video is crazy good. both in the animation, but mostly from the analysis... WELL DONE!

Well you are doing great, i appreciate you but can you go a little slower in your video. It will make the viewers understand easily what you are trying to deliver.Thanks

I'd like to argue loneliness expands beyond Social Media. We still can have the company of others and meet people in person, be in a room full of people and feel lonely too. I would like to think this is due to the fact of the "FAKE" personalities we put up that prevented us to connect to ourselves and enjoy our own company derived from the habit of using Social Media. Some people become awkward at socialising with others too. I had several conversation with my friends about this about how people need to learn how to socialise again. I joke that that will be a massive market for me (I am a life coach especialising in social skills) but bad for humanity. It was only recently, I gave exercise to one of my client to try new things and make a list of the things you can enjoy on your own company (read a book, play music, meditate, run, cooking, baking) because she was uncomfortable with her own company and feel lonely. Another exercise, is to have gadget free day and make habit of seeing your friends every week. And as always, do not be afraid to BE YOURSELF. Show your imperfections, it is what makes you use. Perfection by comparing yourself to others will only make you become the second rate of others. Why would you do that when you can be the BEST version of yourself?

Sorry, completely anecdotal, sounds like the fears of a dying out non-tech-savvy population. If this is how you feel about social media, you're doing it wrong. Social media has been around much longer than Facebook or MySpace, it's as old as the Internet itself with the first IRC chats and AOL Instant Messenger. Even longer if you suppose neighborhood bulletin boards, town meetings, and newspaper classifieds can be considered social media, but more inclined to call it social networking. There is always a medium for which to interact with people on a larger scale. And if you consider that, social networking is as old as humanity itself.

He was referring to people's needs to constantly stay connected online with others. The idea that if we surround ourselves with an extensive network of people, then we're never alone. However, many of these relationships are shallow and lack actual intimacy, so many feel lonely anyway.

This guy sounds lonely.

This is brilliant. Very important in this day and age of the detached cell phone user with headphones pretending everyone around them are plastic show room dummies.

I totally disagree with this video. Yes, all the things you mention are possibilities, but you take an N-th degree and describe it as if it is absolute fact for everyone who uses social media. Change the absolutist language in the video to be describing what you purport as a possibility, and I agree, but as it stands now this is fear mongering pseudo science.

Brilliantly presented. Personally, I won't be able to think of social media the same way again. (I posted, therefore I am)

I found this as related video the look up, that is going viral. Wow. This has a better message then the look up poem. I learned so much in only 4 minutes.

I bet the people who get upset and feel misrepresented by this video's ascertains have Facebook, twitter, instagram, google plus, etc etc Im glad i watched this. Its time to look towards more meaningful personal connections...

My life just changed...thankyou

I believe it's an observation of human behavior in our current Digital age, on a global scale. It's not implying that EVERYONE who takes part in Social Media/Networking is lonely and miserable. These are valid points brought to light, on how it's affecting us as human 'social' beings. The more we obsessively 'connect' online in a virtual environment, the more we 'disconnect' ourselves from the people that are actually around us, and that really care about us.

:( so sadly true, and what's even more sad is that not all people realize this reality making it impossible to be changed

Not only a strong and important message, but beautifully designed and animated as well!

kudos out to soundance studio for the impeccable sound design -- and believe me, it takes alot to get me to say that! excellent, tasteful, transparent, consistent.

I'm introverted and quite happy about it. I'm great at socializing (not shy), but I love to stay in my room and read a book/play a game. :)

Despite we have little to no precedent to gauge the sociological effects I think this video is clearly reveling things that we all can recognize . So let´s be aware , pay attention in our individual and our collective behivor and do the adjustments we need to make to ensure a healthy relationships. Congrats !

Thats why I deleted my social network accounts; felt so bummed when I realized that friends around me, treated me way differently then online. Fake smiles & personalities including ppl who conform to this fake society, I had to get away from that..Thank the Lord that I moved schools, now I'm in a much better place 😊

There's been copious amounts of studies on sociality and use of social media - and all point to the fact that people's online friends tend to be their offline friends, and those that are social online are social offline.

Impressively animated, well narrated, and clearly scripted. Thanks.

We were always alone. Very rarely do we find commonality and reciprocation in others - yet we strive for it. We strive for validation and acknowledgment. We share elements now and have to be sparse about our connections through social media, but in the future (if we get past the impending doom of self-destruction) there will be little distinction between social media network and speaking. We'll be united like the far reaching roots between of acres of trees. Again, if we make it that far.

This is the greatest realization I've ever heard!

I have no social media actually... i dont need it. But i do game a lot.. multiplayers... and i enjoy almost all of the people i talk to.. im surrounded by people who can relate to me in at least one way if not in most... ive made many friends and a handful of amazing ones too...

The accurateness of this video and message is scary.

Brilliant. More people need to see this!!!

Connected, but alone!

Absolutely brilliantly said.

The people that rely of Facebook connection typically loose the skill to connect with people in the real world. Instead of worrying about their overall appearance and personality they become more interested in changing how people view their online profile. This video is spot on!!!! Good job

a most crucial message to our COMPLETELY lost teenage girls.

Wow. Stumbled upon this video while doing some Lynda.com training. Provocative, conceptual, sophisticated in the most simplistic way. Love the use of flat infographic to tell a compelling story about the perils of social media. You can read other comments for specifics, or just watch the video. It is less than 5 minutes long.

So true! Must share it on Facebook and Twitter!

I prefer face to face interactions but it is hard to find folks who like face to face interaction as much as I do, they want to talk to you online once you get home but for the WOHLE DAY that you were physically in their presence & yet, they find it difficult to converse & have short attention spans. A reflection of the disconnect that exists in the social stratosphere of modern society. People feel more comfortable behind their computer than with face to face interaction. The poor souls! tisk!

i know this isn't the focus of the video but...what an amazingly done animation!

* MIND BLOWN *

I remember when the comment section had only comments in it, no ads . It was cool

This need to go viral where people who need to see it will. Promote this on facebook, tell all the socail media addicts to go watch this!

Very true. I stopped using social networks for the most part years ago and am much happier. The only problem is the public is becoming more socially defunct in the real world as they tune their online social skills. It's like 2 different types of humans now exist in the social sphere.

It is a solid thesis. I especially liked the part about the way conversations out of real time enables an individual to edit themselves. I think that point is double edged. I remember getting into AIM when I was 13 and loving it for this reason. I was horribly awkward at that age and found it difficult to word things the way I wanted to in conversation(plus I was very shy in person). Instant messaging was a godsend for me at that age because it helped me to become more articulate and confident in the way I expressed my thoughts(which then helped me in real conversation as time passed). However in adult life, I have found that the overuse of messaging and such media has made extended phone conversations (in particular) more difficult and I find myself being short and impatient at times. Anyway, what I mean to say is I think social media has certain merits but as with anything in this world that we consume, I feel that it's important to use it in moderation. Oldest rule in the book, no? Really though, I think this video is a brilliant observation on how it is getting a bit out of hand (and of course I only saw it because an old college friend of mine posted it on their wall harty har har)

It should be noted during the video that it's heavily citing work by Sherry Turkle, naming her last TED talk and her book Together Alone. Only putting that in the bottom is not enough guys!

Very well said Last part gave me goosebumps

Abigail, technology is something our generation has grown up around. Technology gives us a sense of never being alone because we are able to edit and delete -in reality, we aren't. Technology gives us the power to be in power of our connections and interactions, where as in person we aren't in power of what happens next. This video summarizes the problem with us and technology.

I completely agree. The audio wasn't mixed/balanced well for youtube. Apparently they thought this should only be aired in a movie theater. Try to turn your base down and that will help for a bit.

I came expecting loopholes. I left with what I expected. But I also caught on that it's very true. Again there are still loopholes. Ones I cannot explain within' less than 500 characters while not spamming the comment section. Thanks to whomever took the time to make this video.