--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the things that people complain…" description: "\"One of the things that people complain about is loneliness, disconnectedness. If you live in a society where your life is rarely threatened and most of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg" --- # One of the things that people complain about is… ![“One of the things that people complain about is loneliness, disconnectedness. If you live in a society where your life is rarely threatened and most of your relationships are more on an economic exchange basis, then this could leave people feeling less connected.” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg) > “One of the things that people complain about is loneliness, disconnectedness. If you live in a society where your life is rarely threatened and most of your relationships are more on an economic exchange basis, then this could leave people feeling less connected.” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern safety reduces existential threats, yet economic‑based relationships can foster loneliness and disconnection. **In simple terms:** Safety and economic ties can make people feel isolated. Key Takeaway Cultivate deeper, non‑transactional connections. Themes loneliness social structure modernity Mood reflective concerned Type sociological psychological When to use this quote - urban living - remote work - digital communication - community building Key Concepts social capital psychology technology Questions to Reflect On - What practices can strengthen community bonds? - How does technology both help and hinder connection? A Different Perspective Economic focus may ignore cultural and emotional needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [There is a sad disconnectedness that overcomes a library when its owner is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-is-a-sad-disconnectedness-that-overcomes-a-library-when-its/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [ There's a lot wrong \[with American universities\]. I'd remove 3/4 of the faculty - everything but the hard sciences. But nobody's going to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/there-s-a-lot-wrong-with-american-universities-i-d-remove-3-4-of-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [“For centuries we have been ripped apart by the hands of others as well as ourselves. Our personalities have been conditioned to become disconnected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacha-avelin/for-centuries-we-have-been-ripped-apart-by-the-hands-of-others-as/) [Dacha Avelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacha-avelin/) > [Palestine is about how we drink the water, whether we are being ecological or not. Palestine is our way of exercising our daily living.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-suleiman/palestine-is-about-how-we-drink-the-water-whether-we-are-being/) [Elia Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-suleiman/) > [In this time of globalization, with all its advantages, the poor are the most vulnerable to having their traditions, relationships and knowledge and skills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolfensohn/in-this-time-of-globalization-with-all-its-advantages-the-poor-are/) [James Wolfensohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolfensohn/) > [It's likely that taboo words are stored in the right hemisphere of the brain. Massive left hemisphere strokes or the entire surgical removal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-likely-that-taboo-words-are-stored-in-the-right-hemisphere-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Empathy is one of our highest human skills and holds families and societies together. Feeling connected to other people is probably the deepest satisfaction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-gerhardt/empathy-is-one-of-our-highest-human-skills-and-holds-families-and/) Sue Gerhardt > [For me, ancestry is just one thing that connects us to people, and feeling connected to other people is generally a good thing, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-hardy/for-me-ancestry-is-just-one-thing-that-connects-us-to-people-and/) [Jeremy Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-hardy/) > [Living organically is my way of feeling connected to the earth and my own humanity. It's how I feel balanced and at peace with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/living-organically-is-my-way-of-feeling-connected-to-the-earth-and-my/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Art and literature have given so many people the relief of feeling connected - pulled us out of isolation. It has let us know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/art-and-literature-have-given-so-many-people-the-relief-of-feeling/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“In our technology-crazed world, we’ve confused being communicative with feeling connected. Just because we’re plugged in, doesn’t mean we feel seen and heard. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/in-our-technology-crazed-world-we-ve-confused-being-communicative/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“They are learning a way of feeling connected in which they have permission to think only of themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/they-are-learning-a-way-of-feeling-connected-in-which-they-have/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [I really like feeling connected to people and feeling like I have a good, solid sense of empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/i-really-like-feeling-connected-to-people-and-feeling-like-i-have-a/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [I wouldnt mind having my heart broken because it would mean that I had that much feeling connected to somebody. And that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-wouldnt-mind-having-my-heart-broken-because-it-would-mean-that-i/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [The most difficult part for me is feeling connected to the people that I love but always being on the go to different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/the-most-difficult-part-for-me-is-feeling-connected-to-the-people/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [As many political writers have pointed out, commitment to political equality is not an empirical claim that people are clones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-many-political-writers-have-pointed-out-commitment-to-political/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Since violence is largely a male pastime, cultures that empower women tend to move away from the glorification of violence and are less likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/since-violence-is-largely-a-male-pastime-cultures-that-empower-women/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life. Moral goodness is what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/morality-is-not-just-any-old-topic-in-psychology-but-close-to-our/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Part of the bargain of being alive is that one takes a chance at dying a premature or painful death, be it from violence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/part-of-the-bargain-of-being-alive-is-that-one-takes-a-chance-at/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [In fact, without a specification of a creature's goals, the very idea of intelligence is meaningless. A toadstool could be given a genius award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-fact-without-a-specification-of-a-creature-s-goals-the-very-idea/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The obvious cure for the tragic shortcomings of human intuition in a high-tech world is education. And this offers priorities for educational policy: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-obvious-cure-for-the-tragic-shortcomings-of-human-intuition-in-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If you look in general at people who live in anarchy, they have quite high rates of death from either homicide or warfare or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/if-you-look-in-general-at-people-who-live-in-anarchy-they-have-quite/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“In some eras, self-control defines the paragon of a decent person: a grown-up, a person of dignity, a lady or a gentleman, a mensch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-some-eras-self-control-defines-the-paragon-of-a-decent-person-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Knowledge is a continuous fabric, in which ideas are connected to other ideas. Reason-free zones, in which people can assert arbitrary beliefs safe from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/knowledge-is-a-continuous-fabric-in-which-ideas-are-connected-to/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) [Explore all 495 Steven Pinker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) Browse all 2,701 Bases quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the things that people complain about is loneliness, disconnectedness. If you live in a society where your life is rarely threatened and most of your relationships are more on an economic exchange basis, then this could leave people feeling less connected.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Pinker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-about-is-loneliness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-about-is-loneliness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/steven-pinker-526_bases_one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-a_509228.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the things that people complain about is loneliness, disconnectedness. If you live in a society where…” — Steven Pinker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steven Pinker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the things that people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-about-is-loneliness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/one-of-the-things-that-people-complain-about-is-loneliness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```