But What Now?

What is isolation, anyway? In Wikipedia I find solitude, a social state and isolation (psychology), a defense mechanism. Well, I guess the state of my social wasn’t so great the other day and I so I wrote a ditty on isolation, which, ok, was definitely a defense mechanism. For what? Whatever, we all have days like that. Truth be told, even though I work from home, which I love, by the way, I spend most of my day on the phone or solving technical problems or answering IMs and fixing stuff. I’m definitely not isolated. And I have a new kitty. She’s cheered me up immensely.

Wikipedia’s definition of solitude is pretty grim,

Solitude is a state of seclusion or isolation; i.e., lack of contact with people. It may stem from bad relationships, deliberate choice, contagious disease, disfiguring features, repulsive personal habits, mental illness, or circumstances of employment or situation.

Thankfully, this sentence is followed by something a little more positive, which is more how I think of solitude,

Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think or rest without being disturbed. It may be desired for the sake of privacy.

The definition of isolation psychology is very specifically stated as,

In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, isolation is a defence mechanism, whereby the person “isolates” the unpleasant idea from the normal emotional response. For example, describing a murder in graphic details without an emotional involvement invokes isolation.

However, in my twisted head, I see describing myself as being isolated was a defense mechanism against the feelings that were coming up around current and past friendships and relationships. Ah ha!! Anyway, I felt better after writing it, so it was worth it for me.

And in closing, I think it’s cool to get a deeper understanding of other people’s feelings and thoughts and what better way to do that than through song lyrics!

John Lennon had his take on isolation in his 1970 song of the same name,

People say we got it made
Don’t they know we’re so afraid?
Isolation
We’re afraid to be alone
Everybody got to have a home
Isolation

Just a boy and a little girl
Trying to change the whole wide world
Isolation
The world is just a little town
Everybody trying to put us down
Isolation

I don’t expect you to understand
After you’ve caused so much pain
But then again, you’re not to blame
You’re just a human, a victim of the insane

We’re afraid of everyone
Afraid of the sun
Isolation
The sun will never disappear
But the world may not have many years
Isolation

Ten years later, in 1980, Joy Division also wrote a song called Isolation. I really like these lyrics,

In fear every day, every evening
He calls her aloud from above
Carefully watched for a reason
Painstaking devotion and love

Surrendered to self preservation
From others who care for themselves
A blindness that touches perfection
But hurts just like anything else

Isolation, Isolation, Isolation

Mother, I tried, please believe me
I’m doing the best that I can
I’m ashamed of the things I’ve been put through
I’m ashamed of the person I am

Isolation, Isolation, Isolation

But if you could just see the beauty
These things I could never describe
These pleasures a wayward distraction
This is my one broken prize

Isolation, Isolation, Isolation