There are all sorts of forces that could be leading to more widespread loneliness, e.g.: * As material wealth increases, there's less need to share physical re

There are all sorts of forces that could be leading to more widespread loneliness, e.g.: * As material wealth increases, there's less need to share physical resources (bathrooms, courtyards, etc). These resources tended to bring the same people together frequently, which is a (the?) important precursor for developing a close social tie. * Many bright ambitious women used to organize all sorts of social capital increasing endeavors; this was reduced when society reformed and excellent private-sector career paths became more available. * People often move for college, and then again for work (perhaps more than once) -- this used to be more rare. Moves like these have big negative externalities, since they rip the shared social fabric. These problems arise mainly from collective decisions and changes in culture and economics, and aren't self-inflicted by individuals. It doesn't really make sense to say that a problem is self-inflicted when it applies to a large percentage of people-- almost by definition there's something else going on.