--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We see much more of this loneliness now…" description: "\"“We see much more of this loneliness now. It's paradoxical that that where people are the most closely crowded in the big coastal cities in the East an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/robert-pirsig-32220_east-and-west_we-see-much-more-of-this-loneliness-now_1141000.jpg" --- # We see much more of this loneliness now. It's paradoxical… ![“We see much more of this loneliness now. It's paradoxical that that where people are the most closely crowded in the big coastal cities in the East and West, the loneliness is greatest. Back where people are so spread out in Western Oregon and Idaho and Montana and the Dakotas you'd think the…” quote by Robert Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/robert-pirsig-32220_east-and-west_we-see-much-more-of-this-loneliness-now_1141000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/robert-pirsig-32220_east-and-west_we-see-much-more-of-this-loneliness-now_1141000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/robert-pirsig-32220_east-and-west_we-see-much-more-of-this-loneliness-now_1141000.jpg) > ““We see much more of this loneliness now. It's paradoxical that that where people are the most closely crowded in the big coastal cities in the East and West, the loneliness is greatest. Back where people are so spread out in Western Oregon and Idaho and Montana and the Dakotas you'd think the loneliness would have been greater, but we didn't see it so much. The explanation, I suppose, is that the physical distance between people has nothing to do with loneliness. It's the psychic distance, and in Montana and Idaho the physical distances are long but the psychic distances between people are small, and here, in primary America, it's reversed.”” [Robert Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pirsig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loneliness depends more on emotional connection than geographic proximity; crowded cities can feel isolating while remote areas can foster community. **In simple terms:** Loneliness is about emotional distance, not physical distance. Key Takeaway Cultivate genuine connections regardless of location. Themes loneliness community psychology Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational analytical When to use this quote - urban living - remote work - neighborhood gatherings - online communities Key Concepts social bonds urbanization psychic distance Questions to Reflect On - How can you bridge psychic distance in your daily life? - What practices foster deeper connections in crowded environments? A Different Perspective Physical proximity does not guarantee emotional closeness; societal structures can impede intimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [East and west](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east-and-west/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) ## Related quotes > [It's paradoxical that where people are the most closely crowded, in the big coastal cities in the East and West, the loneliness is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/it-s-paradoxical-that-where-people-are-the-most-closely-crowded-in/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [It's paradoxical that where people are most closely crowded, in the big coastal cities of the East and West, the loneliness is the greatest...The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/it-s-paradoxical-that-where-people-are-most-closely-crowded-in-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The dread of loneliness is greater than the fear of bondage, so we get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-dread-of-loneliness-is-greater-than-the-fear-of-bondage-so-we-get/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [There is no loneliness greater than the loneliness of a failure. The failure is a stranger in his own house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-is-no-loneliness-greater-than-the-loneliness-of-a-failure-the/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [for many people, loneliness was an experience of time. 'Not knowing what to do with yourself' was the way it was usually put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/for-many-people-loneliness-was-an-experience-of-time-not-knowing-what/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [“Being alone is much better than being around negative people out of loneliness or desperation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/being-alone-is-much-better-than-being-around-negative-people-out-of/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Physical distance between people has nothing to do with loneliness. It's psychic distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/physical-distance-between-people-has-nothing-to-do-with-loneliness-it/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [It's when you have friends that you can afford to be lonely. When you know a lot of people, loneliness becomes a luxury. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-caspary/it-s-when-you-have-friends-that-you-can-afford-to-be-lonely-when-you/) [Vera Caspary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-caspary/) > [At first it upset me to realize how many people are, at heart, selfish. Now I take that in stride, but people's loneliness still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/at-first-it-upset-me-to-realize-how-many-people-are-at-heart-selfish/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [“I used to think loneliness was being stuck with only the one voice in your head. I was wrong. 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I don't think that loneliness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/how-to-dress-well/traveling-is-amazing-you-meet-so-many-great-positive-people-you-get/) How to Dress Well ## More by Robert Pirsig > [“I like the word ‘gumption’ because it’s so homely and so forlorn and so out of style it looks as if it needs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pirsig/i-like-the-word-gumption-because-it-s-so-homely-and-so-forlorn-and-so/) [Robert Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pirsig/) > [“He felt that institutions such as schools, churches, governments and political organizations of every sort all tended to direct thought for ends other than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pirsig/he-felt-that-institutions-such-as-schools-churches-governments-and-2/) [Robert Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pirsig/) > [“If you eliminate suffering from this world you eliminate life. There's no evolution. Those species that don't suffer don't survive. 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You're so sure you'll do everything wrong you're afraid to do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pirsig/anxiety-the-next-gumption-trap-is-sort-of-the-opposite-of-ego-you-re/) [Robert Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pirsig/) [Explore all 15 Robert Pirsig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pirsig/) ## More East and west quotes > [In a compass, we got north, south, east and west, right? But in between that, you got things like north-east - now that, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-the-chicago-kid/in-a-compass-we-got-north-south-east-and-west-right-but-in-between/) [BJ the Chicago Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-the-chicago-kid/) > [“Rolanth Temple is a weather queen's temple, open to the east and west, the roof supported by beams and thick marble columns. 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If someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/the-idea-that-there-is-a-difference-between-east-and-west-is-nonsense/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-sky-there-is-no-distinction-of-east-and-west-people-create/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All your names I and my friend approve of or nearly all as to sense & expression, but I am frightened by their length…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faraday/all-your-names-i-and-my-friend-approve-of-or-nearly-all-as-to-sense/) [Michael Faraday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faraday/) > [“As part of this research, one group of participants was asked which two countries are more similar to one another, East Germany and West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/as-part-of-this-research-one-group-of-participants-was-asked-which/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“I always found in myself a dread of west and love of east. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-wolf/the-intelligence-services-of-east-and-west-have-given-europe-over/) [Markus Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-wolf/) > [If once again Germany destabilizes Europe, then Germany will be not be divided again, but wiped off the map. East and West have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/if-once-again-germany-destabilizes-europe-then-germany-will-be-not-be/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [We must strive to encourage East and West not only to move towards each other but also to encourage them to find a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nursultan-nazarbayev/we-must-strive-to-encourage-east-and-west-not-only-to-move-towards/) [Nursultan Nazarbayev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nursultan-nazarbayev/) > [One of the dreams of Zionism was to be a bridge. 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