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I would agree, John Anderson (at least to a degree :). In my experience, the root of loneliness is not about other people, but is about accepting and appreciating ourselves. The times I have felt the most lonely is when I've been the hardest on myself; and when I've been accepting of myself the way I would others, other people seem to enjoy my company. Many aspects of our culture, in my opinion, romanticize self-hatred, or regard it as amusing. It's not. It's really destructive. And if you enjoy your own company, genuinely and sincerely (as opposed to artificially inflating one's ego), loneliness doesn't seem to visit so heavily. In my experience, loneliness has a lot to do with comparing ourselves to others or looking outside ourselves for fulfillment or approval.
