I see a couple of things missing in the comments thus far on George Bell's isolation. First, his age. When he was younger, he was (presumably) in love with, a

I see a couple of things missing in the comments thus far on George Bell's isolation. First, his age. When he was younger, he was (presumably) in love with, and almost married, a woman whom he stayed in touch with for the rest of his life. He also had close relationships with friends. For some people, the "desaturation" of life that comes with age makes it feel less worthwhile to pursue the things that once made them happy. Second, some people who do not socialize are not necessarily devoid of the inner need for friendship and companionship - they may have learned that the pain and risk that can come with social connections outweigh the advantages. When a man becomes old, disabled, and considerably overweight, interacting with others might not be a particularly pleasant experience. There are no "solutions" to the "problems" George Bell had. They are a part of the human condition, and they were his experience of life.