Loneliness is nothing to be ashamed of

This is a reaction to “The loneliness epidemic” (Opinion, 4/20/18).

Being alone does not mean being lonely, these are two completely different things. But I enjoy the loneliness; these are the moments from which I draw my strength and creativity. I do not like parties or meeting many people because I am shy. Small talk is a horror for me. I have also withdrawn from the social media world as I do not want to waste my lifetime on LIKES. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter are generally time wasters. How many pages of a good book by Nietzsche, Einstein, Seneca, Shelley or Lord Byron can I read instead of spending hours uselessly on Facebook to see, comment on and “like” beautiful beach pictures of “friends”?

I also use my laptop and the internet heavily every day, but only to gather information and read various sources like Wikipedia, Nature or Science magazines. There is always something to learn from them; can I say the same for beach pictures?

What I mean by this is that loneliness is nothing negative unless you can fill it up meaningfully to feed the mind. Thinking is human; one who does not think is not human. No one should be ashamed of his loneliness or think he’s a freak.

JÜRGEN SCHÖFER, PhD, [email protected]