Truly being alone

[Scythe13]

Can I just point out that working alone, going on holiday alone, and living at home alone…in those situations, there is still the option to go outside and see people.

I fear the mistake of not understanding (or me not explaining) what truly alone means, seems to be dominating this thread. For example, imagine an old person, living alone, no family, but on a cruise ship holidaying by themselves. This person is NOT alone! They are surrounded by people, so just the site of other people categorises them as being an outsider in a herd. They have access to TV, radio, and can even people watch. These are activities that would not be possible, without human based action, e.g. seeing or hearing another person. An old person on a cruise ship will be surrounded by people, they will be eating food made by other people, they will be served drinks by other people. The fact these interactions involve other people, simply means that they do not fit into the criteria of TRULY ALONE.

Going off by yourself, not seeing another person for days on end, not hearing another voice, not even having the option to see another person…that is truly alone.

Being locked in a small cell, on a desert island, wondering the wilderness, caged away in a storm shelter for you don't know how long, walking around a destroyed city after a tsunami without seeing, hearing or smelling another human being….those things count as alone.

Having a mobile phone, driving in a car by yourself, living in a house by yourself, working in a town, city, village, office, by yourself, does not count as alone. Watching TV, being online, having Facebook, twitter, a paid job, collecting benefits, picking up retirement money, going on holiday, being on a bus, walking down a busy street, walking a quiet street, sitting in a room with a pet, these are examples of not being truly alone.