Ayushman Jamwal
Silence is never empty, it is full of answers. A break from the relays of life, distance from the things that consume our time and energy delivers a clarity that is both terrifying and necessary. We can achieve great virtue taking a backseat from the world to become better versions of ourselves, understand the nature of the chaos of our lives and how it shapes and affects us.
For years, our society has created a stigma against solitude, calling it a place where the dark excesses of the human condition come to life. Multiple social science studies show its detrimental effects on our cognitive abilities as well as our physical health. It continues to be seen as punishment, something that must be avoided, a realm for outcasts and the socially stunted.
In the last few years, social sciences have seen an evolution of the understanding of solitude, where if pursued by choice, it can prove to be therapeutic and essential to avoid the trap of herd identities that dominate the public sphere. American social scientists Mathew Bowker and David Levine have extensively researched identity conflicts in university campuses, and their book, ‘A Dangerous Place to Be’, draws a line linking the devaluation of solitude to ideological discord. Bowker posits that people are easily drawn to identity-markers, to groups to help define them, and fill out identities rather than relying on something internal.
The Trappist monk Thomas Merton in his book Thoughts in Solitude came to the conclusion that removing oneself from multiple social contexts often gives the ability to see how one is shaped by those contexts. German-American sociologist Kurt Wolff delved deeper into the study of isolation with his ‘surrender and catch’ theory, positing that inward-focused solitude delivers mental flickers of clarity, personal epiphanies of uncomfortable, raw truth, the acceptance of which is as cathartic as uncomfortable. A sense of fearlessness is essential to delve into the truths of the subconscious. Thus, solitude is not just about being alone. Productive solitude is a laborious process of internal exploration.
Solitude should be self-strengthening, help build a capacity to be alone and deliver a rich self-experience to make one feel far less lonely when by themselves. Social scientists have also developed a list for solitude to be beneficial. Research by developmental psychologist Kenneth Rubin of the University of Maryland found that solitude can be productive only if it is voluntary, if one can regulate one’s emotions, if one can join a social group when desired, and if one can maintain positive relationships outside of it. Solitude can be harmful in the absence of these conditions and delve into social phenomenons like Hikikomori in Japan, where rigid norms and societal expectations have pushed thousands of troubled Japanese youth to isolate themselves for years. They gain a dependence on technological stimuli and need extensive re-integration therapy to move on.
Our pain, doubt, fear and even ambition are seldom confronted in our routine on that hamster wheel of life. Our deepest feelings burn within us, yet tend to be buried under social conventions and the same daily rituals. We often postpone the pursuit of fulfilment, piggybacking on herd identities to find some semblance of ourselves. Solitude does not have a form, but in our hyper-connected, fast-paced and socially-bloated society, it offers us reprieve to find ourselves again and make sense of our direction in life. The quality of self-reflection is essential to make solitude something that rejuvenates rather than a source of misery. We can find and forge societies in the deepest solitude and allow the spirit to gain the strength to lean upon itself. Solitude like many things in life besets one with obstacles and opportunities, both have to be met head on.
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