Well, it's definitely a generalization, but I would say it's right for some Americans. I'll eat alone without hesitation, but many of my friends will not, and h

Well, it's definitely a generalization, but I would say it's right for some Americans. I'll eat alone without hesitation, but many of my friends will not, and have a strong aversion to it. I think there's a point to be made that it isn't so much that we don't feel anxious about eating alone, but that no one in our shared culture thinks it's unusual to see an adult eating alone. By shared culture, I mean to acknowledge that there are several regional culture groups that could be described as distinct in the USA, and by unusual, I mean to say that it wouldn't be viewed as there being something off about the person. But I do think that the case can't be made that we, as a culture, enjoy eating alone.