Emotional Castaways

I wish the author would not use "like" to mean "such as". Lets all try to use the best possible grammar in our written communications.

After being alone and depressed for 25 years, I read this article and some of it hit dead on. Although I agree with Jill's coment about clocky, I am a firm believer in pet therapy which has helped me deal with many years of agorophobia and depression. My cat has been there for me thick and thin when I was not feeling well, and I"m glad that my partner of ten years stood by me. We had a long distance relationship for five years and it was hell on earth being on my own. When my partner moved in with me, life changed. My family is gone now, but my partner's family became my family and having someone around does help. I also agree with Salahuddin's comment about loneliness. I don't like it either, and it does not feel good.

THis article had some interesting points. But a clock? Hmm! Little confused about that one.
I find that taking a big step in seeking therapy and going into recovery is a big step. remember, for those of us who suffer mental illness and loneliness there is no such word as cure. there is, however, hope and recovery.

Having an emotional bond with a pet, especially in times of particular need, is not at all what this man is talking about. What he???s saying is the same people who humanize inanimate objects are the same ???kooks??? who believe their ???stupid??? pets actually have feelings. He equates a clock with a terrier, and a baseball glove to ???Old Shep???. He states that people who see their pets as living, feeling beings only invent such things in them because they otherwise have no significant relationships in their lives. His point is that anyone who views their pet as a living being with emotions is a socially isolated misfit that nobody loves. In fact, there are plenty of well balanced individuals out there with full lives and wonderful, rewarding human relationships who are well able to recognize their pets as living beings. In truth, it is the scientific community that needs to justify its abuse of animals in the lab, who continually seeks ways to convince us that cutting the heads off of live mice with scissors doesn???t hurt the stupid creatures one bit. You???d have to be as dense as this guy???s mechanical pillow to buy his theory. In fact, even his use of the word ???research??? begs the question ??? in our society, how many ???college-age subjects??? do you think can be ???tricked??? into thinking that a computer can actually predict their futures for them?

Years ago popular culture made being lonely okay. There were songs like "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles and movies like "Jeremiah Johnson" with Robert Redford. Nowadays being lonely is a social handicap. People who confess to being lonely for whatever reason are shunned and society often makes them feel like flawed nonconformists. Loneliness is still a fact of life for everybody at sometime during their lives. Truth is, I'd rather be alone than trapped in a place with sociable, nasty idiots. Aloneness can be a refuge and a luxury to be savored.

I think comparing the tendency for people to humanize alarm clocks with humanizing pets is a bit ridiculous. While it's true that pets are not human they do in fact have a range of emotions and responses that humans can understand. Saying that Fido is happy will have some truth while saying "Clocky" is does not. Thanks for making animal lovers seem like deranged sociopaths in need of some human companionship.

I don't who ist is that suppose to be dicussing this issue with? I waill say that this particular caught my attention, merely becuse Ideal with my being alone often. Having no sibblings and no spouse; it seems to always be a lonely apartment thatI turn the key and climb the stairs to. It isn't ironic, that just the other day I watched the CASTAWAY, movie with Tom Hanks paying the leading role. I consider myself to still be young enough to desire and want to fullfill the things that I would like to be in persuit of. My being happy is one of them. I don't like being alone; I don't like the way it sounds. SALAHUDDIN RAMADHAN

I think comparing the tendency for people to humanize alarm clocks with humanizing pets is a bit ridiculous. While it's true that pets are not human they do in fact have a range of emotions and responses that humans can understand. Saying that Fido is happy will have some truth while saying "Clocky" is does not. Thanks for making animal lovers seem like deranged sociopaths in need of some human companionship.

A very excellent, poignant, timely, and article and I very much liked the comment by "who says we are free?" He/She expressed the thought I was thinking of writing myself. As for you lonely folks, I lived through years of isolation before I met my beautiful wife, and I know how you feel. As for you who are betrayed by loved ones, God and His son Jesus Christ know your plight and everyting you have gone through. Dispite this unbelieving world, keep your faith in them!

A very excellent, poignant, timely, and article and I very much liked the comment by "who says we are free?" He/She expressed the thought I was thinking of writing myself.

I LIVED ALONE FOR 5 YEARS. MY CAT WAS MY ONLY CONSTANT COMPANION ( SERIES OF BAD RELATIONSHIPS AND LOSING TOUCH WITH FRIENDS AFTER SCHOOL FINISHED) AND IT TOOK SOMEONE ELSE POINTING IT OUT TO ME THAT I HAVE INFACT PERSONNAFIED HER. I ASK HER HOW HER DAY WAS AND TREAT HER AS IF SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE IS DOING , I EVEN AM STILL MORE LIKELY TO TELL HER MY PROBLEMS THEN A REAL HUMAN (EVEN NOW WITH A STEADY RELATIONSHIP AND FIRENDS AROUND ME) I THINK WHAT THEY MAY WANT TO EXPLORE IS THE LONGEVITY OF THESE "RELATIONSHIPS" WITH PETS AND INATIMATE OBJECTS, IN PERSONAL EXPIRENCE ONCE THE BOND IS MADE EVEN WHEN YOU BECOME "UN LONELY" THE HUMANIZATION OF SAID OBJECT DOES NOT DISAPPEAR....

wow, can i relate to this article ..... being an isolated person myself , it really hit home.... some may think its insane , however, i do adore my pets better than most people i meet , they are happy to see me no matter what , how i look , what i do or anything else for that matter, alot more non-judgemental than any person i know !!

Been emotionally isolated living with a psychopath husband. Although I work everyday I leave my co-workers to return to lies, abuse, and stress. He is gone now, off with another woman. My three Italian Spinones provide comfort, warmth, and humor. While they are wonderful, I feel socially inept and withdraw from human interaction. Thank you for this article and giving me the opportunity to reflect.

Yes it's true modern life is tough. We have a tradition in our family during this time to go and see as many plays and musicals as we can 'as a family' somehow seeing performers perform live on stage brings us a sense of wonder and hope. We usually save up for shows like the lion king, and wicked and the rockettes, and try to get our seats together. We purchase our tickets from www.broadwaysmashes.com so we can sit together and watch the play. I think musicals are a great way to take away the holiday blues. Another thing that helps me and my brothers is the focus on the NCAA championships. We sometimes go to a bowl game , and follow our favorite team for the year, whether it be the trojans or the LSU tigers. This year we got our tickets from face-value-tickets.net for a BCS Bowl game. Anyways there is so much to do to shake the blues.