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I am from India ...my two uncles have been in UK from around 1967 ...in all these years they only have immigrant India friends only and they admit that though they hv earned a lot and lead a good life yet they are second grade citizens\n\nmy brother is in Canada ...for more than 20 yrs ...he has a couple of frnds and they live lonely amongst themselves\n\nstrangely none of them speak abt neighbours etc\n\nbut ...then again ...these are beautiful countries with sensible social discipline and security ...ppl hv equality safety earnings etc ...one cannot just ignore the good life factors with one loneliness issue

When I came as an immigrant in the 70s life was much better. We could walk to the store, walkable cities, we waited at the bus with all the kids (no bussing/school choice) no worries playing outside because we had a group of kids and no fear of social workers, and everyone had a grandma at home, one of which watched us. Now, no.

When I lived in poorer communities everyone sat on the front porch in the evenings, we all socialized. When I started to make some money and moved to a wealthier community, it all stopped . When we did socialize it was to compare material things. It left me empty and depressed. The speaker is spot on.

Why do you think that western society is so peaceful and prosperous? Maybe it's because capitalism depends upon individual innovation. It might be true that Africa has less loneliness but the social order in Africa is tribal, not capitalism which is why Africa as a whole is poor. Many people from Africa are talented and hard-working but the society in Africa or other collectivist societies doesn't reward that individual strength. I wouldn't call it loneliness, it's more like privacy and individualism and it's the reason why the US/Canada doesn't have a problem with overpopulation or violent radicalism. On the whole, I'm incredibly grateful to have been born in America.

You're comparing apples to oranges. Look around at the neighborhood that you're walking in you'll see that it is in the early springtime. Weather is very cold and sometimes wet. It's uncomfortable to be outside in that kind of weather that in Africa the weather is more conducive to being outside. Also in the Midwest and the South have the USA in the summer time the humidity and heat is oppressive enough to drive you inside. Until the evening. The weather is just not inviting to be outside that's why the houses are constructed that way. I spent 60 years of my life in the midwest USA. I hated the weather oh, I moved to Chiang Mai Thailand the north of the country in the mountains the weather is fantastic at least nine months out of the year. Americans socialize at church, also at the municipality gymnasium but usually has a swimming pool and exercise Club. They also socialized at the local bar.

I am 85 years old and lived half my working life in Mumbai and another half in Virginia. Please DO NOT get confused with this video. Life in India and particularly in Mumbai has become extremely stressful and tiring with ONLY Negative vibrations. 24/7 is noisy, crowded, filthy, garbage all over the place, most of the neighbors are crook, no playground for children, no place for elders to relax, zero social life because everyone is running after the western lifestyle. I recommend ALL YOUNG PEOPLE TO QUIT INDIA. India is good if you know how to CHEAT, BRIBE, DO FORGERY, LIE, etc. Anyone who wants to have the QUALITY of LIFE SHOULD LEAVE INDIA IMMEDIATELY. Thank You,.

This US or Canadian Urban Sprawl, sort of started post WWII, when, to kickstart a post War economic boon, the building, automobile and materials industry lobby, promoted the suburban living homesteads.\nLand in the city perimeter was (and is) costly. So, pick up large tracts of land and build cheap single family homes. Promote the 'wonderful life of openness, safety', etc in the never ending sprawl of an unplanned growth.\nSoon enough, city planners figured out that this model is unsustainable (transport, connectivity, social life disconnect, etc), but it has morphed from low/middle income segment to uber rich gated communities. And is sadly copied blindly in emerging economies.\n\nMost of the comments below are the opinions of recent immigrant folks.\nWhat do the people, who've lived in a similar environment all their lives, think about it?

It's not that Americans or Canadians don't socialize or don't enjoy outdoor activities. They enjoy socializing with their personal circle of friends. Most of the close and long lasting friendships begin and prosper during adolescence/teen years. After that phase of life, usually, only surface level friendships exist.\n\nSo, immigrants, who usually come to the US/Canada for Post-graduate or PhD studies, may find it difficult to develop very close friendships with the locals.

This video seems to really capture the reality of a typical America and the narration really crystalizes it. Even though it depicts a less urban setting, the same stillness can be found in cities and suburbs. It’s not what you see on Netflix or in Hollywood where there’s a story to be told and you do see a lot of human interaction from scene to scene. In real life America so many lead an isolated life indoors except for when one has to go to work or school. One explanation for this, however, is that community in America and many societies is not geographically determined. It’s structured around work, school, church, one’s immediate family if there is anyone and other kinds of civic associations. Loneliness really comes in when one does not belong to any of these “communities”. One’s geographical community (in a society like America’s) simply does not or cannot provide a sense of belonging. It provides physical and material comforts but not emotional or social sustenance, which has to come from those other types of associations. And I sense this is not just a Western world phenomenon. I think it’s happening everywhere and simply a fact of life wherever the vast majority of people living in any space have no family ties with one another. In a village or neighborhood setting in a place like India or Africa, you’ll have such liveliness on the streets and among neighbors because a lot of the people there are simply relatives of each other.

It is a very insightful video about what aspects of lifestyle can be very depressing for people. Also, habits define your life. People are not the most highly social in the USA. I moved to Mexico. I missed the tropics and I missed a less planned social life. At the same time, I think the economic pressures that people live in Africa and Latin America need to be addressed. Stay home and work on improving economics for your African or Latin American nations. Trading in extended family and the love of the community for money and loneliness is not worth it. What is worth it is an effort put in to improve the finances of nations with strong communities. The best of both worlds. Excellent video from EBS scholars.

One of the secrets to long life is social life...talking to neighbors, chatting nonsense, sitting and having a drink by the street, laughing out loud with the barber or the fruit vendor. This is natural human interaction, if not there, not everyone will take the effort.

I have lived most of my working life in the USA. I can relate to some of what you said. The lifestyle depends upon the individual and the groups or the social circle one belongs.\nIf you go to big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego will find communities of immigrants that stay close and connected.

A relative moved there from Ireland and married, way back- their main contacts were through their church. She had a much better standard of living than her siblings in Ireland, but she missed the social life very much.

I can agree with these comments if your not American, growing up we had all that interaction with family, friends and neighbors. Life n times have changed in America due to gun violence, especially in large cities. Socializing is different in every state in America and in every country. I can understand how if your not accustomed to our ways of life even today, that you would prefer your ways of living back in your hometown and your Country. If you live in a big City in America and moved there from a smaller town in America, you will be feeling some loneliness, that's normal to us in America. If your American then you adjust to making n meeting new people, that hasn't been so easy with the pandemic for anyone. To compare our homes in one community from another or even from another country, is just criticism. We don't have a specific way of living, as far as our homes are constructed. This is how as American's we have always lived, small homes, large homes, big cities, small towns. Since the pandemic we do find ourselves spending more time inside due to no fault of our own. We do have different ways of living but so do other countries which we do enjoy when we visit. If you want to learn more about America and our lifestyles and history, you should do that. Every Country has it's government rules n law's and we try to abide by them, that's what makes our Country n Our Nation Great, that's also why many people come here to visit or work and study. Loneliness can be anywhere, depending on the person you are and reaching out to make new friends or just acquaintances is important. Especially, if your away from friends n family from home or a different Country. ✌️

Honestly I like this place..looks very quiet and peaceful..I'm from India and we also have lots of places like this especially government quarters or private industries quarters but the only difference is that we have more trees,houses were fenced and people are more social..I m blessed that I spent my entire life in such areas instead of some overcrowded congested places in Delhi or Mumbai loll..you will get to see the exact scenario especially during the day time in summers when people tends to be indoors but they comes out in evening everyday hanging chatting and playing around..and if you have some good friends then you really don't need any schedule lol..i still remember me along with my cousins and friends use to roam and wander around the locality even in the daytime in the scorching heat of summer when everyone was inside loll and we used to play volleyball or badminton till midnight..it was such fun and beautiful life..but unfortunately these days people are getting more reserved and more into themselves..

Screw the West. The hypocritical US is toxic culturally and socially as far as I’m concerned, and I appreciate eastern cultures’ much greater lack of duplicity. It’s great for making money, but the US is sorely lacking in other ways.

I am an immigrant from India. I have been in California for almost 8 yrs. I feel California is quite better in terms of socialization because of very mixed and vibrant communities . And yes strangers just randomly greet and talk to each other on the streets. In fact when I first came to USA, I was surprised to see people just randomly greet each other on the streets..which truly I have never seen back in India. In India we have been taught from childhood never to talk to strangers. And the reality is there are winds of change back home in India too. I am not talking abt the villages. They are completely different case. But even people living in small towns are now preferring privacy. And no.. its not because of foreign returnees. Even people living there for generations now don't want to socialize. Even in India now we have to request kids to go out and play..which to me is a very disturbing thing . All of them just want to sit at home and play games on their smartphones. In fact I find kids in USA prefer playing sports or other activities more than the kids back in India. It actually depends which part of the country u live in.... doesn't matter India or USA .

It is hard to explain,\n, you yern for money while in a poor country with lots of social interaction.\nYou yern for people, and socializing when you are in another country earning good money.\nParadoxic.

God doesn't blessed everything if you have money you don't have social life.

Haha? you got it right Brother. That's my first culture shock 35 years ago. I took my parents and they didn't even last for a year they went back. I told my kids as soon as you all done in college I will deport myself back. Socialization is definitely missing. Besides people has no time to do that because people work 2-3 jobs to pay that high mortgage. My friend has 3 jobs. She was so tired that she fell asleep with her mouth full of rice. Great topic you have. If you don't have a strong personality you end up looney in these kind of life.

I disagree with your analysis, I'm Asian American and most of my friends are all different colors and races. Allot of us have a very active lifestyle, if your an indoor type of person then you will obviously prefer staying indoors. I think why most people want to immigrate to a America is economical and social freedoms. I'm sure it might be very exciting in Africa, but Its chaotic, lawless and economically depressed. But if that's what you rather have than I suggest you stay where you came from.

What is the problem ?? Who wants to leave their house with such crimes, shooting and human SAVAGES out doors, there are murders, rape , gun shooting .. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE? my friend went outside hanging out with social events and what happens … he gets attacked by someone with a knife!!! I don’t know why this guy is perplexed?

Man goes to rural America and is confused why it’s not a booming social hotspot, what even is this video lmao.

I hate to say it but it's true... I live in windsor ontario Canada, when we were kids it was like that, im in my 40s in the 80s and 90s we played outside whatever we wanted. it all started with internet becoming big with social media, and I'm guilty of the video games, them as well as soon as we got Nintendo as kids my parents would make us stop and go outside, but as we got older u started seeing it less and less until where it's at now no kids playing outside very rarely I do see it in the summer but it's very true it's very sad

Single family housing plan which USA follows is not good mixed use with commercial shops , office & cafe's which are at 5 mins from house is good for social interaction not saves carbon emissions for traveling each day & miles of road maintenance & construction is very energy intense which is a waste

I lived in U.S for 3 years. Everything is great except one's social life and mental health. Economic stress making people life miserable. I am from Pakistan which is considered a third world country but people are not so stressed out as they do in U.S.\nAfter careful analysis, I decided to move back to Pakistan and I am almost stress free now. \nMinimum wage jobs, higher cost of housing òr mortgage has made majority's life miserable. People are scared of each other in social interactions.

You need to live in a warm climate to be social outdoors. It’s too cold for months at a time to socialise outside where I live in the U.K. The only people I see out walking are fellow dog walkers. I’ve lived in the USA where the weather was hot ad many people have swimming pools, neighbours would get together with kids to swim daily

there should be balance. i socialize at work and at home i like to be on my own or with family. weekends i can chill with friends.

Europe same story! Mass immigration, sky high rents,unemployment, no social life! High rate of suicide!

If you want a social life there, go to a club to play some sport, people are social according to their interests, and they dont want to be bothered at home where they may want to be on the internet or watch netflix

I was born in USA but this man speaks 100% truth. \n\nI feel afraid, lonely , depressed in California. People are mean, rude, cold, violent. So lonely people don't talk to nobody only to fight. Too much drugs. \n\nI'm visiting my parents in Mexico and I like Mexico better. People are very friendly there is crime but not too much. Right here it is nice lovely friendly people say hi friendly neighbors.\n\nUSA is full of everything virtual, everything online and yes consumerism , materialistic and yes very plastic. Working day and night never home. Stupid. I know a lot of people like my uncle always at work never home working 7 days a week like slaves and not ever home just to sleep. Ridiculous. \n\nMy Dad retired and went back to Mexico by Otay and I'm visiting my parents a lot here in Mexico more freedom and very friendly people friendly neighbors. \n\nNot horrible lonely America. In America too much cell phones nobody talks only text. Cold people no interaction no socialize only depression, drugs, drugs, drugs, money money, money, cell phones all day and fighting . \n\nPeople mean rude in USA I fight with everybody in USA too much racism. Too much entitled crazy people. I hate it in California. I prefer Mexico or other foreign countries like Africa, Thailand, Japan, Cambodia. \n\nNo greedy money hungry commercialism capitalist USA and Europe.

Canada is basically earning fast food wages while having to pay executive level expenses in all aspects of life. You do the math and understand this Ponzie scheme. The local social life is cold and sucks too.

I suppose city born Athiest people world over would find socialization and sharing stuff not a thing they are raised to be good at. ?

America was never like this. They were very social people but something weird happened after 1980s...

If you watch any old newsreel films of cities from 100 years ago, the first thing you will probably notice is how many people are outside on the sidewalks, standing outside shops, talking to each other. Then compare that to film of today and the streets of most towns are empty, there is nobody outside, the only time you know people are around is when cars drive by. It's true, life in the U.S. has changed radically, people no longer socialize outside, life is inside and people avoid others.

As an Indian living in Australia , I can relate with every single word said here. Australia like most western countries, is good if you wish to make some money but not so good if you want to have an active social life. its cold and desolate most times of the year. Hardly any sun in the south eastern states. People keep to themselves and indoors most of the time. .Social life is almost non existent which can cause serious psychological issues., Depression being very common. Kids here develop serious mental issues right from a young age . If you are a single man its even worse. If you want happy healthy active social life, avoid going to western countries.

As my husband (EBM) knows well, our family is recognized all over the city. Either, someone from our church sees us and says hi, the employees at Target, Walmart or other grocery store know us. It’s hard to miss our crazy family. We have three children under 12 years. One must try to engage others. You cannot blame others for a lack of social interaction if you yourself do not try. Do not think that you will get best friends just from talking to some one. Most people want to *feel* they can trust you. Be yourself. Whomever you are. Do not pretend to be anything you are not. While being fake can get you somewhere, it’s still fake. Plenty of people here in the US are fake. You have to find *your* people. It takes time and energy.

This really comes down to introvert versus extrovert personality types. Most Western countries are great for introverts who need their space to function at their best potential. If you are a Type-A extrovert, a social animal who thrives among multitudes of people, then you'll just have to work harder to establish your circle of friends and you might be miserable if you're not able to do that. I live in the United States and I love being not bothered by anybody. No complaints at all. No marks for guessing my personality type of course.

india has plenty of issues ranging from access to safe water and nutritious food, crippled healthcare, unemployment, rising inflation and timely stoking of religious hatred for populist gain. Social Responsibility has never been a prime talking point in India since long. The free and united country Gandhi wished for is slowly going rock bottom into the pits of crony capitalism and unrest.

I have always wondered about this. You look at literally any other continent in the world and you see many people out on the streets hustling and bustling. Especially here in Pakistan, everything is always alive. But whenever I look at the U.S or Canada on Google Maps, I always get this strange lonely feeling. Why are the streets always so empty? I have often thought that despite the endless amount of celebrities and YouTubers, journalists etc. who are always noisy on the news and social media, and portray a very lively image of North America, I really felt that the situation of the common man is quite different. The common man of North America must not think that their neighborhoods being this lonely and empty is normal. After watching this video, that belief of mine has been validated.

You are right. I am Canadian and it's cold, I mean, very cold. We can't wait for the summer which do not last and are very short. With the pandemic situation, everything changed in the last 2 years. Masks, take out, social distancing, no restaurants, cinema things like that, it got worst. I took an early retirement we moved in the country side where our parents were raised and all of our cousins and brother & sister are, people know each other. It's totally different. You go anywhere you are not a number, you are people. The bad parts are there are no much work or job available, you have to wait to get older to live there or if your lucky enough to get a job, you keep it, no choice and all the muskitos for a month in spring, it's so bad that you can't stay outside for too long. We call this ''muskito clouds''.

It's because everything is so spread out from each other in Canada and the USA. This is the same for countries such as Australia, New Zealand, etc, and only some places in Europe. When people live so far spread out from each other, there's no social interactions. So, people much more lonelier and more angry too.

Brother, You are so right! But, I am a african American who grew up in the 70’s. It wasn’t like this until blacks integrated with whites. We had fun in our neighborhoods just like you described. Any neighbor could correct us. We could just go to the neighbors house to play. I grew up in Chicago and we had block parties with dancing, games, food sand talent shows. We played games in the street after school. When we left our black communities we had to behave like whites who don’t want to socialize with us. That’s what you see where you live. So they suffer and stay inside their houses. I left Chicago for university and moved to Newark, New Jersey and it was life there too! So many cultures, people walking, languages, music, vendors on the street. Puerto Rican’s, Haitians, Dominicans, and Africans. You should be some place like that. But many places in America “now” are boring like where you showed. Move!!!

The lingering and deeply embedded poison in US/Canada is suburbs. This not how humans have ever lived, or should live. It isolates you from entire human society and only outlet is commercial spaces. It's built to optimize consumption. You absolutely require a car. You sit isolated in a box then get out b$$y more and then get back at home to watch ad$ on TV. Contrast this with how humans even now live in a society that's normally built. EU, Middle East, and old Asian cities. First residential and commercial areas aren't apart by 15 miles. Instead much of the first floor is filled with appropriate commercial shops and offices. Then most streets are walking/biycycle streets, you can bring a car in but wont use it as a road to get to other side as streets are not straight and crampy. You have 5-8 blocks of buildings with walking streets in between them, these clusters of buildings are then surrounded by car roads. For 80% of things you can leave house and walk 5 mins to get them. Groceries, accountant, pharmacy, hardware store, computer store, mobile phone store, ice cream shop, dentist, general doctor, beauty saloon, barber....... all in walking distance located at first floor. This layout promotes cohesion between neighbors, builds community, builds famliarity, provides safety, kids can play in streets as there is no traffic, and it's not unnatural to have social circle of 30+ people due to this. Back to suburb... only natural human connection you are gonna get is church, walmart, parties, and once you leave college/hs... you are done.

Africa is perceived to give higher social life. The truth is that our social life is derived from poor economic status. Good example, let's take Nairobi leafy suburbs or any other city. In such areas residents tend to mind their own issues hence they remain indoors of workplace. But areas with lower economics status. The residents share almost all the facilities.. what will you do indoors when you have no electricity? How will you pay for delivery services while you can not afford the food? They have communal water area. People sell their commodities anywhere even on road reserves, no designated play area hence children have to play by the roads. When the system will work properly we will experience that kind of western social life.Next time give a realistic comparison.

Great video. My first cultural shock in the US was when someone called the police ?‍♀️ on me for sitting in front of a staircase in an apartment complex. They almost charged me criminally for trespassing!!! Coming from ?? Ghana, where we co-live and co-share and co-relate, I was ? shocked. Human beings are social beings. Our innate nature is to inter-depend on others. Once that contract is broken, society won’t be be the same. Most kids in the US are raised indoors and this has serious effects on them growing up. They become anti-social, less empathetic and depressed. Another factor worth considering is the abundance of ☀️ Sunlight. Yes the sun we sometimes complain about in Africa provides vitamin D which helps your serotonin (happiness gland). So it gets worse when you have less sunshine in US and stay indoors.

You live in the suburbs so it quite and lonely in bigger cities people are not lonely it depends on the individual am from west Africa we work hard we party we socialize the Kenyans in my state they socialize among the Kenyan community

Here in the US ?? I live here from 2019 I grew up in Africa you can’t compare here with Africa \nAfrica is backwards here is developed and far better in life style if you talkiabout neighboring or greeting or playing together africa is better and social \nBut let me tell you \nIn the US if you have good job you have a good car a lovely wife you go to work you come back you can play with your wife \nOr take your car go to the town enjoy \nTake your kids on weekends to parks malls beaches and play \nLot things to do cause here public places are well taken care of different from Africa \nAfrican cities public places even hospitals or local schools are not taken care of \nIn the US you just need a good paying job a car a lovely wife I swear you gonna live a beautiful life \nYou can travel summer time to Florida with your family everything here is with good job ?

Hmm.. So the social life style we see on western movies is not real??.. I really appreciate Nigeria.. Lol

Why don’t they just socialize with each other. What is so hard there?