In an age of isolation, what does it mean to belong?

Kim Samuel passionately advances two linked convictions, convictions I share: that as the world continues its quest to overcome limitation, it meanwhile only exacerbates its real predicament, which is isolation; and that in cherishing the gift of one another, for which her term is belonging, lies the secret of human salvation. Her book is a compelling exploration of this argument and an urgent call to change the priorities of the human project, lest isolation engulf us all.

She articulates her thesis elegantly:

In a time of unprecedented connectivity, people are increasingly alienated from meaningful work, a sense of community, connection to land and nature, a sense of mattering with respect to political and economic institutions, and—ultimately—a sense of being part of a greater whole. The result of all this isolation is anxiety, depression, violence, othering and environmental degradation on a global scale.