Our World in Data compiled a chart showing who we spent our time with at different stages of our lives. Altogether, we spend more time alone than with anyone else. And as we grow older, we tend to spend more and more time alone. But that doesn't mean we are necessarily lonely.
Spending time alone is not the same as feeling lonely. This is a point that is well recognised by researchers, and one which has been confirmed empirically across countries. Surveys that ask people about living arrangements, time use, and feelings of loneliness find that solitude, by itself, is not a good predictor of loneliness.
The chart is interactive at the site, so you can look up any age and see who Americans are spending their time with. -via Digg
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A quick review did not show their methodology, so I do not know if these statistics include shared experiences like phone and gaming in time spent with others. As well, does it exclude sleeping? how does it handle deceased partners?
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That chart is very interesting and illuminating. It's one of those things where - you know your experience - but you always wonder if everyone else is having a similar experience. I'm gonna have to further look at the interactive chart later.
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