Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic?

Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by ecshafer on Thursday January 15, 2026 @02:27PM (#46637831)

I guess we need to delete the internet and tv from existence.

I think that the more people getting out and putting effort in the better, it helps create a knock on effect.

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Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by digbybk on Thursday January 15, 2026 @02:43PM (#46638101)

> I guess we need to delete the internet and tv from existence.

If only. My preferred solution is a 4 year national service. College is a key place to form a friend network, but not everyone gets to go.

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Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by MrVandemar on Friday January 16, 2026 @05:39AM (#46645076)

National Service means largely:

* Giving people guns and teaching them to kill

* Teaching people to blindly follow orders barked at them by an authority figure

* Enormous potential for mental health problems, including bullying, abuse and suicide

* Wasting 4 productive years of someones life

I'm pretty certain national service is a Bad Idea™

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Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by redhed on Friday January 16, 2026 @11:08AM (#46647973)

Yeah there's countries who have faced actual existential threat (South Korea, Finland, Israel, etc) and national service is still extremely unpopular.

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Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by digbybk on Friday January 16, 2026 @02:32PM (#46651011)

Maybe it's a bad idea, but it is an idea. "People should get out more" is _not even wrong_

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