Not to be like "the orientals don't experience loneliness" because of course we do, and it's not like capitalism doesn't exist here, we're speedrunning it even and it's shit to be sure. But every time I come back home and spend enough time here to readjust I'm struck by how hostile north america is wrt sociality in many little ways. The built environment, the valorization of car travel at the expense of public transport, the sterilizing regulations around what you can and cannot do in public spaces (& the apparent pleasure regular people get out of strictly policing these spaces), the massive "convenience" industry built on the idea that you never have to leave your house if you have enough money to pay to exploit the underclass, the "work from home" white collar fantasies, the "I never want to talk to my uber driver, five stars if you don't say a word" shit, everyone and their mothers on their little "mental health" walks with their noise cancelling headphones, not to mention the circle jerk self therapy talk that sells people the fiction that you can "fix yourself" in total isolation, the paywalling of friendships, people referring to their therapists as their friends..I feel like it all adds up. The loneliness is not a bug it's a feature. Is it any surprise then that tourists from such places holiday "over here" and can't stop going on about how "lively" and "chaotic" cities are in a way that's almost fetishizing normal ass human behaviour and the friction that exists as a basic part of life
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