A critical analysis on loneliness and connection in our digital age

Abstract

The technology boom of the late 1990s into the early 2000s saw great advancements into the way we see and use technology. From this period onward, access to the internet and even ownership of a technological device or smartphone became more common among the general public. Before we knew it, access to all sorts of information and access to each other became readily available at the click of a button. In many ways this helped foster a greater sense of connection among many, with physical barriers no longer preventing family members who live miles away from each other to stay in touch or young adults being able to find communities of people online that shared their interests that they may have had trouble finding in their own hometowns. So, with all of these possibilities for connection available, why has there been a common trend of loneliness and disconnection, especially among the youth who’ve grown up in the technological age? Can technology be seen as the catalyst for this trend or are there other societal changes at hand that have played a bigger role? And what can be done to mitigate or counteract such experiences? In my thesis I will explore these questions, drawing from literary texts and various academic sources to support my claims. I will also be exploring if and/or how themes such as identity, relationships, and development have any relationship to these questions. Keywords: Psychology, loneliness, connection, digital addiction, adolescence, psychological needs, mental health