"Loneliness" as a Talent — Why It's Okay to Be Alone on Saturday Night
日本語(original) | English version | 繁體中文（台灣）版 | Tiếng Việt
Saturday night, and the city is still bright.
Scrolling through your phone, you see posts from people saying things like “Having a great time tonight.”
Outside, there are people going to drinking parties and dates,
and social media is filled with lively photos.
But your room is quiet.
Only the light from the desk lamp and the glow of the city at night outside the window exist.
Suddenly, a feeling rises in your chest.
“I feel like I’m the only one being left behind.”
Is this feeling simply loneliness?
Or does it have a different meaning?
The philosopher Hannah Arendt divided loneliness into two main types.
One is what she called Loneliness.
This is a state in which one is cut off from both others and from oneself.
Even when you are with someone, your hearts don’t connect, and you may feel even more alone. It’s as if your very existence has lost its place anywhere.
The other is what she called Solitude.
This refers to time spent alone by choice.
Time when no one disturbs you, and you can quietly face what is inside you.
In this state, loneliness is no longer simply an “absence,” but becomes “space to meet yourself.”
Much of the loneliness felt on Saturday night is actually closer to this kind of Solitude.
Just because other people seem to be enjoying themselves doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you being alone.
Rather, there are things that can only be seen in the quiet of the night.
Noticing your true feelings,
facing thoughts you usually avoid,
or simply letting your mind wander without doing anything productive.
In today’s world, this kind of time is becoming an increasingly precious talent.
Because we are constantly under pressure to “stay connected.”
We fear being alone and end up trying to connect with someone.
But in truth, the ability to be alone may be the very strength we need in the coming era.
Saturday night.
It’s okay not to talk to anyone.
It’s okay not to be productive.
It’s okay to simply spend quiet time with yourself.
That, too, is a real talent.
Akira's One-Person Discipline affirms from the heart those of you who spend Saturday night alone as a quiet time to take care of yourself.
Akira
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