5 ms·

Again, correlation not causation.

s1artibartfast 2y ago
There is a vast body of literature that shows that in person interactions is not just correlated with happiness, but an effective intervention for loneliness and depression. In full disclosure, even setting aside the research, I have way too much anecdotal evidence from what I have seen and experienced to be convinced otherwise.
- rockskon 2y ago
  Does that body of literature say anything about in-person interactions in the workplace? Specifically the workplace. An environment that a breathtaking number of people do not want to think one second about outside of work.
  - s1artibartfast 2y ago
    I havent read about workplace interactions as an intervention for loneliness and depression. It would be hard to run a RCT on that, so you would only be left with correlation. I dont know why making it a more pleasant experience during work has anything to do with how much someone thinks about it outside of work.
    - rockskon 2y ago
      Because not all human interaction is equal. It equivocates talking to a cashier at the grocery store to hanging out with friends.
      - s1artibartfast 2y ago
        I don't think that's the comparison I would make. I think the comparison would a workplace where people can take a break and chat with friends, vs one where they spend their breaks in isolation. Alternatively, a workplace where a grocer talks with customer while filling an order vs one where they get a packing list from a machine and puts it in a pickup box.
lazide 2y ago
As any stats course would tell you, while correlation != causation it definitely implies there is something to consider there. And causation almost always causes correlation. So do you have any alternative theories?
- aaomidi 2y ago
  Yes. Climate catastrophe for one. Inability to see the point of life when you can’t even afford to move out. Etc. there’s hundreds of theories.
  - lazide 2y ago
    ‘Climate catastrophe’ is causing an epidemic of loneliness and mental health issues? Historic cost of living reverting to the mean of most of human existence causing unusual changes in human mental health? Do tell.
    - aaomidi 2y ago
      > Historic cost of living reverting to the mean of most of human existence causing unusual changes in human mental health? Yes? Regressing from where your parents were, and the state of society they were in is actually quite hurtful. I'm saying these are theories, just like yours.
      - lazide 2y ago
        I don’t see how yours are theories as they don’t seem to have any relation to the underlying anything, or have anything testable per-se. Frankly, I’m struggling to see how they’re even hypotheses? I could see how adding a few sentences onto them could result in such things. Which is why I’m asking for you to elaborate. After all Hurtful != lonely or depressed. Problems existing != lonely or depressed. We’ve always had problems of some sort. I’m unaware of any time in history where someone didn’t have something nasty to say about anyone, or there wasn’t something bad potentially happening. Lonely or depressed tends to happen when someone is isolated and/or feels like there is nothing they can or should do to resolve an existential issue. Depression tends to be the ‘I should hide in a corner and pretend I don’t exist’ survival strategy. Not necessarily because there is a problem in general. But the issue is unlikely to just be ‘living at home with the parents’ still, since in Europe and Asia that is and has been a thing for a very long time, and we don’t see such an epidemic there eh? (Or do we?) My personal theory is that the problem is less ‘the problems’ - rather that our increasingly sedentary/isolated lifestyle is leading to a downward spiral where we’d rather bitch about/ruminate on problems (and ramp up anxiety fear to try to get moving) than actually solve problems and move on, or even just accept problems and live.

There is a vast body of literature that shows that in person interactions is not just correlated with happiness, but an effective intervention for loneliness and depression. In full disclosure, even setting aside the research, I have way too much anecdotal evidence from what I have seen and experienced to be convinced otherwise.

rockskon 2y ago
Does that body of literature say anything about in-person interactions in the workplace? Specifically the workplace. An environment that a breathtaking number of people do not want to think one second about outside of work.
- s1artibartfast 2y ago
  I havent read about workplace interactions as an intervention for loneliness and depression. It would be hard to run a RCT on that, so you would only be left with correlation. I dont know why making it a more pleasant experience during work has anything to do with how much someone thinks about it outside of work.
  - rockskon 2y ago
    Because not all human interaction is equal. It equivocates talking to a cashier at the grocery store to hanging out with friends.
    - s1artibartfast 2y ago
      I don't think that's the comparison I would make. I think the comparison would a workplace where people can take a break and chat with friends, vs one where they spend their breaks in isolation. Alternatively, a workplace where a grocer talks with customer while filling an order vs one where they get a packing list from a machine and puts it in a pickup box.

lazide 2y ago

As any stats course would tell you, while correlation != causation it definitely implies there is something to consider there. And causation almost always causes correlation. So do you have any alternative theories?

aaomidi 2y ago
Yes. Climate catastrophe for one. Inability to see the point of life when you can’t even afford to move out. Etc. there’s hundreds of theories.
- lazide 2y ago
  ‘Climate catastrophe’ is causing an epidemic of loneliness and mental health issues? Historic cost of living reverting to the mean of most of human existence causing unusual changes in human mental health? Do tell.
  - aaomidi 2y ago
    > Historic cost of living reverting to the mean of most of human existence causing unusual changes in human mental health? Yes? Regressing from where your parents were, and the state of society they were in is actually quite hurtful. I'm saying these are theories, just like yours.
    - lazide 2y ago
      I don’t see how yours are theories as they don’t seem to have any relation to the underlying anything, or have anything testable per-se. Frankly, I’m struggling to see how they’re even hypotheses? I could see how adding a few sentences onto them could result in such things. Which is why I’m asking for you to elaborate. After all Hurtful != lonely or depressed. Problems existing != lonely or depressed. We’ve always had problems of some sort. I’m unaware of any time in history where someone didn’t have something nasty to say about anyone, or there wasn’t something bad potentially happening. Lonely or depressed tends to happen when someone is isolated and/or feels like there is nothing they can or should do to resolve an existential issue. Depression tends to be the ‘I should hide in a corner and pretend I don’t exist’ survival strategy. Not necessarily because there is a problem in general. But the issue is unlikely to just be ‘living at home with the parents’ still, since in Europe and Asia that is and has been a thing for a very long time, and we don’t see such an epidemic there eh? (Or do we?) My personal theory is that the problem is less ‘the problems’ - rather that our increasingly sedentary/isolated lifestyle is leading to a downward spiral where we’d rather bitch about/ruminate on problems (and ramp up anxiety fear to try to get moving) than actually solve problems and move on, or even just accept problems and live.