Here in Britain, black people are disproportionately targeted, arrested and imprisoned for drug offences, while organised and violent crime are granted a massive source of revenue.
A desire for social connection is fundamentally hardwired into our psychology, and so being deprived of it has devastating mental and physical consequences. Yet we live in a society which has become ever more fragmented and atomised.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human beings have an inherent need for social connections, and lacking these can lead to serious consequences for both mental and physical health.
Owen Jones highlights the intrinsic human necessity for social bonds, suggesting that our psychological makeup drives us to seek connections with others. In a modern society that increasingly fractures and isolates individuals, the consequences of social deprivation can be severe, affecting both mental well-being and physical health, thus prompting a reflection on how vital our relationships are for a fulfilling life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental health awareness, one might say, 'As Owen Jones pointed out, our need for social connection is hardwired, and without it, we risk severe consequences.'
More from Owen Jones
All quotes →Neoliberalism has left Britain's boss classes drunk on triumphalism, paying themselves record salaries and bonuses while their workers are imprisoned by poverty and insecurity. It was never going to last.
Socialism is the democratisation of every level of society, or it is nothing. It is based on an understanding that the concentration of wealth and power leaves democracy hollowed out, and that simply trooping to a polling station every few years is an insufficient counterweight to the behemoths of global capital.
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And do as adversaries do in law, strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
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I’ve been rereading your story. I think it’s about me in a way that might not be flattering, but that’s okay. We dream and dream of being seen as we really are and then finally someone looks at us and sees us truly and we fail to measure up. Anyway: story received, story included. You looked at me long enough to see something mysterioso under all the gruff and bluster. Thanks. Sometimes you get so close to someone you end up on the other side of them.
If we approach other people understanding our own value, being confident in who we are, being centered and grounded, it's actually easier for us to connect with them because we can listen more deeply and we can express ourselves more authentically without fear of being judged or not being enough.