But while the majority of data resulted in obvious conclusions, there was one set of data that revealed something very sad and very true about American society: as we get older, the time we spend alone continues to increase. While time spent with other groups slowly but surely decreases over the course of our lives, we spend much more time by ourselves. This may seem obvious, but seeing this data visually represented is shocking, especially when you realize that if an American lives past 80, he or she is spending eight hours of every day by themselves — not including sleep. This revelation is tragic because it is a distinctly American issue. Many other cultures prioritize taking care of their elderly, treating the elderly as important parts of the family with many extended generations living together under one roof. The notion that when you’re older most of your time is spent alone is a disappointingly common problem, but one that needs to be understood and reconciled. Because while you likely crave alone time now, it’s not something to look forward to later in life.
