Been thinking about the 'epidemic of loneliness'. I think the conflict between the individual and the state has hollowed out everything in between. Communities and families serve as important checks against the power of the state, but also contain the freedom of individuals, so both sides have hollowed them out, and neither side has given them a robust defence. In the conflict between the state and the individual, the community was the first casualty, but the family is not far behind.

Now when people see healthy communities, they get cultish vibes. Predatory cults are very dangerous, but people need healthy communities in order to flourish. I fear that people still soon start to get toxic vibes when they see a healthy family too, if they haven't already.