Modern Loneliness

Have you heard Lauv’s new song, “Modern Loneliness” yet? If not, give it a listen while you read my slice. This live version is my favorite.

Ever since I first heard this song the other day, it’s been on constant repeat. It’s a beautiful song and sounds good to my ear, but the lyrics have been speaking to me, too. The whole idea that we are never alone, we’re either together or connected in some way, yet we’re still sad, depressed, or lonely.

This whole self-quarantine thing has me reflecting on this very idea. I’ve just finished Day 8 of being isolated, restricted to my house and unable to have visitors over, but I’ve been more connected than ever before. From 7:00am until 9:00 or 10:00pm, my phone vibrates and my computer dings, alerting me that someone else needs me or wants to talk to me. Throughout the day I’m on video conferences, taking telephone calls, instant messaging, emailing, or texting. The constant noise and virtual connection does little to ease the sense of loneliness. That’s the message Lauv’s trying to get across in his song. It is modern loneliness.

If I’m honest though, I’ve felt this way for a while now. The lyrics, “[I] Love my friends to death, But I never call and I never text, yeah” ring true for me. I don’t know why I’ve been doing this lately, but it’s like I’ve stuck my head in the sand. Maybe it’s because I’m working on me and trying to figure things out in my own life. Maybe it’s because it’s draining to send messages and emails when I spend so much time on devices for work. Or maybe there’s another reason I haven’t figured out yet. Whatever the reason, I hope that my friends know how much I love them and that even though I don’t always reach out to them, I still care deeply. Maybe I have a case of modern loneliness.