But the price of shielding yourself from criticism is that you are cast into solitude—the solitude that William James admired as the core of religious experience, as if loneliness were a good thing.
I was surprised by the conflation of words solitude and loneliness here.
I’d say solitude is just a state of being alone while loneliness is an interpretation (usually negative) of that state by a person.
It’s not uncommon for people who are serious about their personal growth/thinking for themselves/creating things to seek solitude as a way of connecting with themselves and making time for creative output. Seen this way, it makes sense to me as a deeply spiritual experience, even if no religious thoughts are involved.
It would be much harder to find people who actively seek loneliness, which I would argue is largely an outcome of feeling disconnected—from significant others but more importantly from oneself.
I’d disagree with idea that one can be cast into solitude. I think we often intentionally choose solitude. And equally often (unfortunately) cast ourselves into loneliness.
I was surprised by the conflation of words solitude and loneliness here.
I’d say solitude is just a state of being alone while loneliness is an interpretation (usually negative) of that state by a person.
It’s not uncommon for people who are serious about their personal growth/thinking for themselves/creating things to seek solitude as a way of connecting with themselves and making time for creative output. Seen this way, it makes sense to me as a deeply spiritual experience, even if no religious thoughts are involved.
It would be much harder to find people who actively seek loneliness, which I would argue is largely an outcome of feeling disconnected—from significant others but more importantly from oneself.
I’d disagree with idea that one can be cast into solitude. I think we often intentionally choose solitude. And equally often (unfortunately) cast ourselves into loneliness.