Over the weekend, I found myself reflecting on Derek Thompson’s recent article in The Atlantic, The Anti-Social Century, which examines how we in the US increasingly are choosing isolation over connection and solitude over community. It’s a powerful lens that offers insight into the cultural moment we’re in as well as what this behavioral shift means for brands navigating our evolving Zeitgeist. (And, no, Derek Thompson and I are not related—though his insights feel closely aligned with my reflections!)
Once thought of as distinct states, loneliness and solitude have blurred in ways that are impacting our mental health and critical thinking profoundly. The US Surgeon General has declared loneliness a public health epidemic, equating its impact on wellness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Meanwhile, the mental health of teens has reached crisis levels, with rates of anxiety and depression soaring. Adults, too, are spending more time alone than at any point in modern history, often choosing digital distractions over in-person interactions.
And these changes aren’t confined to the United States. Across the globe, similar patterns are emerging, underscoring how significantly the pandemic accelerated trends toward what Thompson calls “privatized” living. Shared meals, communal celebrations and even casual exchanges with neighbors are becoming increasingly rare, replaced by solitary activities mediated by screens. As the rituals we share with others fade, how is our sense of humanity being reshaped? And what role, if any, should brands play in addressing this erosion?
The shift toward privatized living
Although it would be easy to interpret the retreat into privatized living as convenience, it reflects deeper societal shifts. Lingering habits, and even fears, from the global pandemic, gun violence, polarized politics and more, combined with a culture increasingly centered on individual preferences, have reshaped our societal fabric. Brands like Coca-Cola once thrived by embedding themselves in moments of shared joy—a soda shared with friends at a diner or a campaign celebrating collective happiness. And Levi’s jeans, for example, became a symbol of community and youthful rebellion, a touchstone for cultural connection.
Today, once communal experiences are being replaced by solitary consumption. Dining out has given way to takeout; theaters have been replaced by streaming platforms; and even our homes, designed around screens rather than gathering spaces, reflect an isolating trend. Larger living spaces, once symbols of success, now enable a progressively insular existence.
For brands, this raises the question: how do you create meaning in an age of isolation?
While virtual connectivity has grown, paradoxically it often leaves people feeling disconnected—physically near others yet worlds apart mentally, with each participant absorbed in their own digital ecosystem. Continual erosion of shared moments, like family dinners or community gatherings, diminishes opportunity for connection. Simultaneously, our fundamental human desire for ritual offers a way forward. Brands that find ways to foster moments of connection—whether physical or virtual—can play vital roles in rebuilding community.
The Me-to-We Continuum: A framework for connection
These cultural shifts are not happening in isolation. When I consider them in the light of my Me-to-We continuum, the erosion of shared spaces underscores how far we’ve drifted toward a “Me” culture prioritizing individualism over collective purpose. If you’re unfamiliar with the Me-to-We continuum, which emerged in research that eventually led to my model of Brand Citizenship, it explores the balance between personal fulfillment and shared responsibility. Ultimately our success, and potentially even our survival—both as individuals and as communities—depends on maintaining an equilibrium.
Solitude, when balanced with connection, empowers the “We” side of the spectrum by allowing individuals to reflect, recharge and bring renewed energy to the communities with which they interact. However, when the balance tips toward loneliness, it erodes our sense of self and belonging, leaving us isolated and disengaged. This dynamic sets the stage for understanding the growing tension between solitude and loneliness in today’s society—and how brands must navigate this divide.
For brand leaders and marketers, understanding this continuum is crucial. It reveals the dual role they play in helping people navigate between individuality and community—and, importantly, the stakes of getting it right as influencers of culture.
Solitude vs. Loneliness: Navigating the line
People often conflate solitude and loneliness. Yet, each condition impacts our well-being differently. Solitude, when intentional, creates space for reflection, creativity and self-discovery. It’s where we recharge and cultivate the inner strength to engage meaningfully with others. In contrast, loneliness arises from an absence of connection, eroding our sense of belonging and leaving us vulnerable to feelings of isolation and despair.
This delicate balance has shifted in today’s hyperconnected yet increasingly disconnected world. Entertainment, for instance, once a shared experience, has become more solitary. How often do we gather with loved ones, only to find ourselves absorbed in individual screens, inhabiting separate digital ecosystems while physically together—a phenomenon my husband and I call “alone together”?
The implications for wellness are far-reaching. Studies show prolonged engagement with virtual communities, like social media or gaming, can exacerbate loneliness and depression, despite surface-level connections. The American Psychological Association warns that while digital spaces offer convenience, they often lack the depth and authenticity of face-to-face interactions. Perhaps paradoxically, our pursuit of expanding relationships through virtual means often leaves us feeling more isolated than ever.
Yet, within this paradox lies an opportunity. Brands have the power to redefine the role of connection in modern life. LEGO’s purpose, for example, encourages creativity that bridges individual expression and collaborative play. Similarly, Adobe equips people to imagine, advance and share their artistry, fostering interactivity and transforming personal ideas into shared experiences. And with its multiplayer games, Nintendo creates virtual spaces for camaraderie, albeit with limitations in replicating the richness of in-person interaction that may lead to separation. Physical spaces like board game cafes, makerspaces, and communal fitness classes offer further proof that we crave connection in real life—not just through screens. Brands undoubtedly have the potential to be architects of shared experiences, countering the isolating effects of the digital age.
The erosion of middle-ring relationships
“Middle-ring” relationships—those we have with neighbors, colleagues and casual acquaintances—play a critical role in fostering community and social cohesion. In his article, Derek Thompson shares how these connections, though less intimate than close family ties and less expansive than digital networks, are essential, teaching us tolerance, collaboration and shared responsibility. Yet, as our lives become more polarized and fragmented, these vital relationships have been fading.
Casual casual conversations with coworkers that spark new ideas, neighborly exchanges that create a sense of safety, and familiar faces in our communities all remind us we’re part of something larger than ourselves. As they decline, so too does our sense of belonging and ability to engage with perspectives outside our own. For brands, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: how can they help rebuild our connective tissues?
In Do Good, I explored how the fourth step of the Me-to-We continuum of Brand Citizenship—community—creates platforms for collaboration and shared purpose. Brands like Airbnb exemplify this, transforming strangers into hosts and guests, facilitating local belonging through shared spaces. Albeit to different degrees, outdoor brands like Patagonia, REI and The North Face rally individuals around environmental causes, turning personal values into collective action. Lesser-known brands are stepping up as well: Outdoor Voices, for instance, champions movement as a joyful, collective experience, reframing individual activity as a shared ritual, while Everytable reimagines dining as a way to foster connection, building community through equitable access to nutritious food. These brands understand fostering middle-ring relationships is good citizenship—and good business.
Opportunities for brand leadership
For brand leaders, effectively navigating the anti-social century requires yet another recalibration of priorities. Brands both mirror society and influence how people think and behave. This dual role raises important questions about how to activate and align with purpose?
- Are we creating something that enhances life or simply distracts from it?
- Are we fostering connection or reinforcing isolation?
- Are we helping people think critically and engage meaningfully, or contributing to their numbing?
Answering these questions demands intention, not just strategic thinking. Shared rituals are more than opportunities for engagement; they are essential to anchoring people in collective values and experiences, to promoting individual well-being and to rebuilding the collective trust and belonging that underpin middle-ring relationships and, ultimately, strong communities. By shaping new traditions, brands can play a pivotal role in fostering connection and rebuilding community. Bookstores hosting author readings, communal fitness platforms and board game cafes reclaiming leisure as a shared experience all point to how brands can restore customs that are being lost.
Importantly, or these efforts to resonate as authentic and not performative, rituals must be integrated into a brand’s ethos. Not simply marketing tactics. Developing opportunities to anchor people as valuable members of local communities, brands can help restore the middle-ring relationships that foster belonging and sustain a collective consciousness.
The path forward
Will brands foster belonging or deepen isolation? Without a doubt, they have the potential to be an antidote to the growing loneliness epidemic. The answer lies in inspiring participation, cultivating creativity, empowering intution and rebuilding bridges that have been broken. Behind every product and service lies an opportunity to enrich people’s lives and rethread the fabric of communities.
The choices brand leaders and marketers make today will shape the future of their brands and also influence the direction of society. So, perhaps the real question isn’t how will brands adapt to the anti-social century—it’s will they contribute to making connection, creativity and community guiding forces for our collective future?