Loneliness today is not only a consequence of random circumstances, but also a conscious choice of millions of people in developed countries. This is the new social reality of large cities, a responsible decision for both young representatives of the “creative class” and elderly people who want to grow old alone. New York University sociologist Eric Kleinenberg, Ph.D., explores the phenomenon of modern loneliness. For him, this is a consequence of the transformation of urban spaces, which gives him the opportunity to experiment with his lifestyle. Equally important is the strengthening of the role of women, the revolution of “social networks” and the jump in life expectancy. The author comes to an unexpected conclusion: living alone does not mean feeling lonely at all. And being alone at a certain stage of your life is not only not scary, but interesting and even necessary.