Loneliness is something we’ve all felt at some point in our lives, particularly throughout COVID. But it can also have great value for society. Philosopher and social human rights expert Professor Kimberley Brownlee guides Ros Taylor through the important questions about being alone. Is solitary confinement an effective form of punishment? Have isolation policies been effective during the pandemic, or have they exposed care homes as “warehouses” for the elderly? And is loneliness really a moral injustice?

“Our social needs are needs with a capital N. We thirst for connection.”
“In China, children have a legal duty to visit and engage with their elderly parents.”
“We risk becoming socially malnourished without even being aware of it.”

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Daily: The Secret Power of Being Alone