“Under the right circumstances,
choosing to spend time alone can be a huge psychological boon”
By: Brent Crane
Published: The Atlantic , Mar 30,
2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/03/the-virtues-of-isolation/521100/
Level of difficulty: **
BEFORE YOU READ
·
The Art of Alone: Intentional Solitude | Niqolas Ruud |
TEDxWallaWallaUniversity
QUESTIONS
1. Read the first two paragraphs of the
text. Terzani’s experience in Iberaki is provided as an example to support the contention that …
2. What subtitle would you give the
section you have just read: Silence / Avoiding anxiety/The embrace of seclusion
/ The stigma of solitude
3. Read two more paragraphs. Both Merton
and Fong feel that better insight can be gained if ………………………………………
4. What subtitle would you give this
section of the text: Solitude has its upsides / solitude and insight /Social
settings are toxic/ Confronting the truth.
5. Read the next paragraph. Moments of
personal clarity or epiphanies cannot occur when you are actively engaged in
your social life because they require…
6. Read the two paragraphs detailing the
views of Bowker. Which of the following sentences best summarizes his views?
Bowker feels that…
·
Solitude
is uncomfortable which is why modern society is hyper connected
·
Solitude
is unfashionable because society is hyper connected
·
The
benefits of solitude are ignored due to current trends
·
A
distaste for solitude dominates our modern hyper connected society
7. What subtitle would you give this
section of the text: connectivity versus solitude/ the end of solitude /
connectivity, connectivity, connectivity/support for solitude
8. Read up to the paragraph detailing
Kenneth Rubin’s views. We understand from Bowker’s criticism of his students
that modern day people cannot manage without their phones / outside stimuli/
music/ running/ solitude.
9. Why does Bowker believe that
universities should “facilitate separating from the group”? Because in the
modern world,….
10. Learning to benefit from a solitary
state has an important advantage: it prevents people…
11. Watch the following video before
continuing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRNzNFt6gzg One difference between solitude and hikikomori
is the fact that the latter emphasizes….while solitude emphasizes…The second
difference is that reintegration into society is / isn’t a problem in the case
of hikikomori
12. Hikikomori is also a form of solitude
yet it is harmful because it is not restorative/ it doesn’t meet the
preconditions of solitude / it doesn’t lift you out of problems / it is not
necessary for a truly healthy mind.
13. Read the last two paragraphs of the
text. Which of the statements below are true and which are false according to
this section:
·
Taking
time out when one can is beneficial
·
The
amount of solitude one needs varies
·
Terzani
saw himself as a guru
WRITING TASK
Write an
essay in which you discuss the importance of isolation in the modern world
THE VIRTUES OF ISOLATION KEY AND
TEACHERS’ NOTES
As someone who relishes isolation, I
found this text irresistible. Finally, there is a text that supports views I
have held for a long time. This task has been prepared with these people in
mind. I hope it will get those over connected people to rethink their attitude
too.
1. When pursued by choice solitude can prove therapeutic
2. The embrace of seclusion
3. People remove themselves from the
social context of their lives
4. Solitude and insight
5. Inward focused solitude
6. The third
7. Connectivity versus solitude
8. Outside stimuli
9. People use others to fill out their
identities rather than relying on something internal (something that comes from
within)
10. Feeling lonely when alone
11. Suffering, rejuvenation, is
12. It doesn’t meet the preconditions of
solitude
13. T, T, F
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