When you’re alone you ain’t nothing but alone — Bruce Springsteen

One of the ironies of the connected age is that we seem to be more lonely than ever. According to a pair of surveys, the number of Americans who describe themselves as lonely has doubled since the 1980s. Maybe it makes sense. Since everyone is looking at their devices, it’s more possible than ever to be lonely in the presence of others. And according to Slate’s Jessica Olien, loneliness is deadly: “The increased mortality risk is comparable to that from smoking. And loneliness is about twice as dangerous as obesity.”

+ The Verge: Facebook isn’t making you depressed, but the Internet is.