2. After watching, think about these questions:
What questions do you still have?
What connections can you make between this film and your own life or experience? Why? Does this film remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? If so, how and why?
3. An additional challenge | Respond to the essential question at the top of this post: Why are some many Americans feeling lonely?
4. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
5. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.
6. To learn more, read “The Life Span of Loneliness.” Adam Westbrook and Emily Holzknecht, the filmmakers, wrote in December:
The Opinion video above gives voice to the lonely. We are publishing it at the end of a year in which loneliness started getting the kind of attention it has long deserved — an effort led, in large part, by the surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy. In a guest essay last spring, he revealed that he, too, had struggled with loneliness and said the nation was facing “an epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” Several days later, he issued a surgeon general advisory about the problem, calling it a “public health crisis” and outlining a strategy to confront it.
The New York Times invited readers to share how loneliness was affecting their lives. More than 1,400 people responded — young and old, from every corner of the country, every walk of life. Each response was like a message in a bottle cast into the water from a distant island.
They continue:
Opinion Video followed up with dozens of respondents to learn more about their experiences. The result — the video above — is an intimate portrait of a nation of people struggling, and often failing, to find meaningful connection. We learned that loneliness does not discriminate by age or background. With the holidays upon us and the year coming to a close, we hope this video serves as a reminder that no one is alone in feeling lonely and that sometimes the most meaningful gifts we have to offer are our time and attention. So if there’s someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to, don’t wait.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.
Want more student-friendly videos? Visit our Film Club column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.