I found this piece that links capitalism and loneliness (via Manu) more than a little depressing, maybe because I can somewhat relate to sentences like this:

The sheer mass of individuals that people encounter every day cultivates a certain anonymity, and with it, an increasing detachment to those around you.

I’ve definitely noticed that sense of anonymity that comes with living in a big (BIG!) city. Sometimes it’s nice, being able to just be a face in the crowd, but it does make it hard to create any kind of meaningful connection with those around you.