Beautifully written, Katharine.

Isolation is the worst. Individuals go nuts and shoot into crowds of strangers. David Brooks had an excellent piece in the NYT 08/04/2022 where he describes how we are not individuals but a mix of the people around us. Terrible things happen when we are deprived of what makes us.

I would take the idea further. That isolation and loneliness are in communities detached or overlooked within nations (fly-over country). This can partly explain the red/blue divisiveness in America. Governments also can experience loneliness and isolation (their leaders, certainly) with devastating consequences. There are growing concerns over the deteriorating relationship between the U.S. and China.

The remedy for individuals, communities, and countries is to have many more connections and recognize mutual interests. This can be counterintuitive and often uncomfortable, but no reasons not to pursue them.

Many thanks. Best to you.