I don't think you even have to look back to when people lived in little villages. People nowadays are more likely to relocate for work and more likely to have children later, if at all. Why do so many people send their children to daycare when quite often there are grandparents who would love to look after the child? Most likely is the grandparents live nowhere near them.

I already spend the vast majority of my time alone, so I don't find it sad.