Americans are Disillusioned

(photo by kc ma January 1, 2018 on flickr)

This July 4th, I feel compelled to share the overwhelming response I’ve had on Twitter this week when I posted the comment,” I don’t wanna go out. Who else is content to just stay at home?” Boom- I got twenty thousand likes and several thousand comments in a couple of days. This really struck a chord with people. Some even thanked me for acknowledging what they already felt but were afraid to share. They suddenly felt validated as “normal” after thinking they had a problem with agoraphobia. So why, post-pandemic, are Americans staying home in droves?

There was an overwhelming sentiment of disillusionment with their own government. Some stated that right-wing fascists are dominating the political landscape. The anger over the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is palpable. Many said they are afraid of random gun violence, sexual violence, and POC (People of Color) are afraid of the police.  Various health problems were also cited as a major impediment to going out, along with lack of coverage or benefits to get these problems fixed. Finally, Covid was described as an ongoing threat which makes people nervous.

On the positive side, most people were content to stay at home. The introverts are happy with this new status quo. Americans love their pets, yards, gardens, hobbies, tinkering, and online gaming. Most people stated that they preferred working from home and wished this would continue indefinitely. Many even get their groceries and medicine delivered to avoid leaving the house.

So, if you enjoy the privacy and comfort of your own home, rest assured that you are in good company. There were a handful of responders who felt that this failure to interact with fellow humans could become a mental health problem. Let me know what you think.

Do you prefer to stay home? Please comment below.