millennial wisdom

Teens Today Are Alone But Not Lonely

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Teenagers today are highly advanced in the realm of thoughtful, nodding realizations about the nature of being a human. For example, they know that being alone and lonely are different things. Did you know that you can feel lonely even if you’re at a party teeming with your peers? Did you know that you can feel socially content even if you’re by yourself? Did you know that you can be your own best friend, and maybe you should? The modern teenagers of today know these things.

The report on this advanced knowledge is from a study examining teens from 1991 to 2012, which was just published in Personality and Psychology Bulletin. It notes that teenagers now have fewer friends than teenagers had 20 years ago, but they’re less inclined to feel lonesome. They don’t join things, but they also feel less isolated and left out. They’re just focusing on being them right now. You have to love yourself first, you know?

Teens Today Are Alone But Not Lonely