The Lonely Century by Noreena Hertz, translated by Mai Chi Trung, was published by Tre Publishing House in July. This is a fascinating social science work with data and information from hundreds of valuable data sources.

The book is deeply moving because it gives readers an overview of social relationships everywhere in the world: It seems that the general trend is that people are increasingly distant and not only because of the pandemic, isolation, or technology, but the 21st century is known as the lonely century.

Because even before the Covid-19 pandemic, people were isolating themselves for many reasons: the reorganization of the workplace, the massive migration from the countryside to the city, the view of putting personal interests above collective interests...

The book consists of 11 chapters: This is the lonely century; Loneliness - The silent killer; The lonely mouse; The lonely city; The age of no contact; Our screens, our people; Loneliness in the office; The digital whip; Sex, love and robots; The loneliness economy and Coming together in an increasingly distant world.

The book begins with a general overview of why the 21st century is considered the "lonely century", and then moves on to the effects of loneliness on human health. Loneliness affects not only mental health but also physical health. Loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and dementia.

Scientific experiments with isolated animals explain why the larger and more crowded cities are, the lonelier people become.

Next, Noreena Hertz analyzes how the pandemic has projected anxiety and "contactless" interactions between people, the impact of technology: People are increasingly facing screens rather than each other.

Modern office communication mechanisms have changed dramatically, as corporate models have been forced to change post-pandemic, remote and hybrid work has increased, and reporting flows have shifted.

Next, the author mentions the development of artificial intelligence, robots, the replacement of humans in jobs that require human communication, and the impact on sex and love.

The loneliness economy - for example, products/services for one person, friend rental services, activities that provide virtual interactions that make people feel like they belong to the crowd... is growing.

What is the role of the state in managing society and how does it impact people's lifestyles? And what can each individual and each country do to reduce the negative trend of loneliness?

Loneliness has become a "social problem" of the 21st century. People are vaguely realizing that they eat with their phones more than with friends, and spend more time online on weekends than going out to interact.

The “loneliness epidemic” has never been more widespread. But it is also a crisis that humans can solve.

The book offers some bold solutions to address loneliness in the 21st century: compassionate AI, innovative models for urban living, and new ways to revitalize neighborhoods and reconcile differences within communities.

The Lonely Century offers a hopeful and inspiring vision of how to heal divided communities and bring people closer together.

"In this compelling book, Noreena Hertz describes the physical, mental, economic, and social effects of loneliness.

“The book not only provides a compelling survey of evidence, but also a powerful call to action for governments, businesses, societies and individuals – to address and alleviate the loneliness crisis and build a more united and kind world,” commented Sarah Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Psychology, University of Cambridge.