Olney the Lonely

The BBC bring us news of a fascinating piece of meta-analysis that reveals that, in the great scheme of things, loneliness is a big killer. What does it teach us?

I suppose it tells us that it's a good idea for people to see other people. Naturally the government's doctors won't be allowed to recommend people get down the pub as a way of improving their health, but I don't know - bit of a walk either side of some social interaction, and nobody's making them consume alcoholic drinks if they don't want to - I hear such beverages as Irn Bru and Tizer are also available.

But it's a fact, the scientists say, that people need people. Some would say it's an echo of the Trinity, coded into our very beings. Others, that humans have evolved to be social because when our many-great-grandparents came down from the trees, they needed to be able to gang up against lions, hyenas and Millwall supporters. Indeed, my great-uncle Freddie Fitzroy-Russell spent most of his life living up a tree, only coming down occasionally to hunt a gazelle or whatever in the Safari Park. It was poor Freddie's condition that encouraged the rest of the family to stop only marrying other people called Fitzroy-Russell, so at least his life wasn't completely wasted.

Of course, others might reflect that this is why, as I mentioned the other day, there are only twelve anchorites in the Church of England.

But it should give us great encouragement to get together. It's not just good for the people you see, particularly should you go out of your way to see someone who lives alone (that's someone who's expecting you or whom you know - don't just go freelancing, that's not at all wise) - it's good for you as well.