As we become so comfortable in the routine of class, studying and sleep, solitude becomes second nature. While being alone does not equal loneliness, it is certainly a large subset. No one seems to know why Gen Z are one of the loneliest generations. Was it those screens? Did the pandemic desensitize their emotional capabilities? The unemployment rates, upheaving politics, and rising cost of… well, everything? 



Social relationships are complex, non-linear; a regression that cannot be linearized since there is no underlying logic. However, its visible effects are easily depicted. Imagine the price of social interactions on the y-axis, this is the emotional cost of leaving the comfort of your home and the opportunity cost of not watching another hour of Netflix. The number of social interactions can be quantified on the x-axis. 



The first down-ward sloping curve is an individual’s willingness to socialize (WTS). The higher the cost of socializing, the less social interactions occur. If the anxiety of leaving home is minimal or nonexistent, the more the individual socializes. The second curve depicts how much social interactions society provides at different costs. For example, online platforms have low costs, but generally do not produce a lot of in- person engagements. Clubs, coffee shops, and colleges are more expensive to engage in, but are more effective in producing social interactions. The intersection between our two curves depict where society meets its equilibrium—everyone is satisfied where the social benefit of engaging with one another meets the social cost. 



However, we are in reality far from that equilibrium intersection. The weakening demand for socializing causes our WTS lies far below where it is socially beneficial. Therefore, the quantity of social engagements are less than optimal. As a society, we are experiencing a loss in our aggregate happiness and welfare. This can be seen with the 42% of Gen Z’s who have struggled with depression or depressive symptoms, a significant increase from older generations. Sixty-three studies concluded that loneliness was the key driver of mental health challenges. All of that points to a missing piece in our society, a theoretical area between the two curves that seems to contain the pits of our problems. As a generation, our WTS needs to shift to social equilibrium and permanently break out of the loneliness epidemic.



References:

Blake, Suzanne. “Why Gen Z Is the Loneliest Generation.” Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024, www.newsweek.com/gen-z-loneliest-generation-1996926. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.



Stern, Caryl M. “Generation Z Is Waging a Battle Against Depression, Addiction and Hopelessness.” Walton Family Foundation, 8 Sept. 2022, waltonfamilyfoundation.org/stories/foundation/generation-z-is-waging-a-battle-against-depression-addiction-and-hopelessness. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.



Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2023, hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.