The Loneliness Epidemic: How Virtual Signaling Divides America

What if that righteous post you just shared is actually making you lonelier? Virtual signaling — the loud declarations of moral superiority on social media — has become more than just an annoying trend. It's potentially driving a nationwide and global loneliness epidemic with far-reaching consequences for mental health and social cohesion.

Across America, we're seeing alarming patterns: white women publicly rejecting white men as potential partners, college-educated young people of color disconnecting from their middle-class parents until "they receive reparations," and angry social media posts that divide rather than unite. Behind these performative displays lies a troubling reality — loneliness statistics have reached unprecedented levels. The Census Bureau reports 45% of white women aged 25-34 are now single (up 10% in a decade), one in five millennials have zero friends, and 60% of Gen Z reports chronic loneliness. Even more disturbing, five out of sixteen children at a summer camp admitted to suicidal thoughts due to loneliness and depression.

But what if this isn't just a cultural shift? What if virtual signaling serves as a psychological operation designed to divide and control? Dr. Jean Twinge suggests that isolated, angry individuals are easier to manipulate politically and economically. History shows that lonely people join cults, consume excessively, and make decisions from a place of desperation rather than discernment. As our society inches closer to various forms of conflict, the question becomes: how do we resist? The answer isn't demonizing those who virtual signal but dismantling the game itself. By focusing on behaviors rather than identities, building bridges through genuine conversation, and rediscovering our common humanity, we can break free from the loneliness trap. Your sanity and our collective future depend on it. Share this episode with someone who needs it, and join us in choosing connection over division.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Virtual Signaling: The Social Media Flex
• 5:42 Psychological Impact of Self-Rejection
• 11:42 Loneliness Statistics and Mental Health Crisis
• 12:09 The Loneliness PSYOP Theory
• 18:07 Microadventure: Survival in the Northwoods
• 18:31 Demographic Trends in Loneliness

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

What if your social media flex is making you lonely? Today we're exposing virtual signaling and how it's. A PSYOP, a psychological operation driving America's loneliness epidemic. Virtual signaling it's that loud. Look how moral I am. Post like white women on X saying no more white men. But what is it? It's flexing virtue for likes, not change, and it's trending hard. Is virtual signaling tearing us apart?

Speaker 1: 0:32

Experts hint at loneliness epidemic sweeping America and the West. Experts warn of a hidden agenda. Lonely, angry people are easier to manipulate. It's a vulnerability to exploit, says psychologist Dr Jean Twenge. Could this be intentional? Let's uncover the truth and strategies to fight back without demonizing anyone.

Speaker 1: 0:54

Hi friends, welcome to the New Normal Big Life Podcast. We bring you natural news and stories about nature that we hope will inspire you to get outside and adventure, along with a step-by-step plan to help you practice what you've learned and create your own new normal and live the biggest life you can dream. I'm your host, antoinette Lee, the Wellness Warrior. Welcome to today's episode. We're diving into something heavy but so important for the human species and our nation to survive. What if the loudest voices on social media aren't just annoying? They're part of a plot to make you lonely? Picture this a white woman posts on X. I'm done dating white men racking up likes, reposts and social credit. Angry baby boomers risking their safety and freedom to vandalize someone's vehicle in an attempt to ostracize people they assume voted for one political party or another. Or young people of color who would rather scream about how they've been victimized and are owed reparations rather than becoming part of the American middle class through hard work like the rest of us. These social media posts are bold rest of us. These social media posts are bold. It's viral, but it's more than just a flex, don't you think? Welcome to the world of virtual signaling, a trend that's quietly reshaping relationships, mental health and society in unhealthy and dangerous ways. Let's dive in.

Speaker 1: 2:21

So what's virtual signaling anyway? On social media, grabbing attention fast is key. Virtual signaling does just that. It's when someone publicly displays moral superiority, like rejecting an entire race of partners to gain social approval. Media videos to bait someone into committing crimes against politicians and law enforcement and other acts of violence to garner attention. Think of it as a peacock strutting its feathers, but instead of beauty, it's righteousness on display. A tundering example on X shows white women swearing off white men, claiming it's anti-racist. But is it really or is it a signal gone rogue?

Speaker 1: 3:07

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5, doesn't directly address hating your own race or gender, but it ties self-rejection to serious issues Under major depressive disorder. It notes feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt can spiral from distorted self-perception. Dr Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, warns when people turn against their own identity, it's a recipe for isolation and despair. A 30-year-old woman, sarah, shared I stopped dating white guys to prove a point. Now I'm just lonely and exhausted. I stopped dating white guys to prove a point. Now I'm just lonely and exhausted.

Speaker 1: 3:49

Middle class parents of color are stunned that their college age, college educated children now hate them and their parents' money that paid for their college education. Now some of their young adult children have disconnected from their parents and chose to opt out of the middle class until they get reparations. I even had a personal exchange with a young man who felt this way on X recently. I was attempting to encourage him that the middle class is still available to anyone willing to work and sacrifice to have it. Using my story as an example, I bought my first house as a single woman at age 32. Today I own my fourth home, together with my guy Matt, but young Americans in increasing numbers are convinced they're a victim that needs to disrupt the system, to tear it down and build a different one where no one owns more than anyone else within their 15-minute city. So we have white women and middle-class young people of color who've turned against their identity and families for social credit. The DSM-5 links such patterns of behavior to family strain and societal disconnection, amplifying the loneliness epidemic. Five out of 16 youths at our summer camp for children aged 6 to 16 told me and other camp counselors that they're so depressed and lonely that they've been thinking about ways to kill themselves, beginning in 2021. More kids reported that the following year.

Speaker 1: 5:24

Social isolation and loneliness have had a devastating impact on Western society. The erosion of community bonds, increased reliance on digital communication and the breakdown of traditional family structures contribute to widespread loneliness linked to depression and other mental health disorders. Social media exchanges among ordinary people report concerns about superficial social connections and the loneliness epidemic. This loneliness epidemic refers to the widespread feeling of isolation and lack of meaningful social connections, particularly among white men, veterans, law enforcement and younger and older people. White men, veterans, law enforcement and younger and older people. Additionally, research points to loneliness as a significant factor in the mental health crisis. When we come back from this short break, we'll talk about the loneliness stats by age, cohort and gender, and how it's led to a mental health crisis.

Speaker 1: 6:22

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Speaker 1: 6:57

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Speaker 1: 7:50

Before we cover the next topic in this episode, I want to introduce you to the adventure sports lifestyle with what I call a micro story about an adventure that I've had. The adventure sports lifestyle and my deep connection to nature is essential to my good health. So here's the story. The power had been out in our Northwoods region for four days. Now we live in a cabin in the woods. In case you haven't heard me say this before, matthew looked pale, weak and hardly able to lift his head.

Speaker 1: 8:20

After treating his symptoms from our well-stocked first aid cabinet, I realized we had adequate food and drinking water. Our most immediate need was keeping the fire going in the wood-burning stove and sourcing more non-potable water for toilet flushing. Today's survival chores were my responsibility. Because Matthew was in a feverish sleep, I loaded the ice fishing sled with buckets of snow that I dumped into the toilet to melt and make flushing water. Next I hiked across the property through the snow and driving wind to fill the hand cart with wood and stacked it neatly by the back door. Finally, I placed a log into the stove and cooked grits and eggs in cast iron pans on the wood-burning stove's top. We survived. Another day I did that. I hope this inspires you to get outside and adventure alone with friends or the people you love most.

Speaker 1: 9:15

Now back to the loneliness numbers, because they don't lie folks. Loneliness isn't just a feeling, it's a statistic. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2023, 45% of white women aged 25 to 34 are single, up from 35% a decade ago. For white men, it's 38% and for non-white men, it's 50% are single. Gen Z and millennials lead this shift, with 60% of 18 to 24-year-olds reporting chronic loneliness. Now imagine rejecting half your dating pool based on race. It's math, says sociologist Dr Eric Kleinberg. Fewer partners mean more isolation. This trend could shrink options further, leaving people stranded.

Speaker 1: 10:09

In the upcoming podcast episode America's Mental Health Crisis, I talk about how loneliness is a contributing factor to the despair and related deaths. Recent surveys show between 2017 and 2019, so many Gen Z youth and millennial adults lost their lives to deaths of despair that the US life expectancy decreased for the first time in 100 years. In addition, according to the CDC, one in five millennials report having no friends none at all. 56% of Gen Zers report loneliness in the past 12 months and 5% of seniors are depressed. According to the National Institute for Family Studies, loneliness peaks among young adults 18 to 24 and seniors over 18 over 65, with different causes. For the young, social media influence and transient lifestyles play roles. For older adults, it's often due to the loss of social networks through retirement or grief. The US tends to have higher loneliness rates than many European countries where social ties and community structures are stronger.

Speaker 1: 11:21

Mental health researcher Dr Nicholas Cardaris, among others, has linked the rise in depression to the widespread use of technology and social media, suggesting that these tools, while connecting us globally, often lead to superficial interactions and a lack of deep, meaningful relationships. That's why I make an effort, when I'm communicating on social media with people who follow me and veteran groups and other groups that I'm a part of, is that I take the time to make an effort to really get to know people and form meaningful connections and make true friends online. After this short break, we'll talk about the loneliness psychological operation or the loneliness PSYOP. Is there a PSYOP to increase loneliness at play? Here's where it gets dark. What if this isn't random? What if virtual signaling is a psychological operation, a psyop to divide us?

Speaker 1: 12:25

Loneliness makes people vulnerable, says Dr Jean Twinge, author of iGen. Twinge says angry, isolated individuals are easier to control politically, economically, you name it. A divided society fights itself, not the puppet masters. Nefarious vulnerabilities? I think so. Think radicalization, consumerism, mimicking, destructive behaviors or blind obedience to a cause. History shows it. Lonely people join cults, buy more stuff, commit crimes and vote out of spite in response to loneliness.

Speaker 1: 13:01

Think about it. You create the conditions where people feel lonely and isolated, while longing for connection and to be part of something bigger than themselves. Then someone or some group says you can join us. Is someone or something banking on that? The answer is yes, as virtual signaling has led to attacks on personal property, doxing and the attempted murder of ICE and other law enforcement agents, and rampant violent protests requiring military intervention to stop the destruction. The US and much of the Western world have become parallelously close to civil war, race war, cultural war and other types of all-out violence which could cause governments to take away freedoms to so-called stop the violence. But many think this is the ultimate plan to usher in a one world government rather than a republic like we have here in America.

Speaker 1: 13:57

Can you fight for what you believe without hate and loneliness? Sure you can. It begs the question how do you dislike the behavior without torching entire groups? First, call it out specifically. I hate virtual signaling, not white men, says Mia, a 28-year-old Texas woman. Second, focus on actions, not identities. The identity politics that ramped up since 2018 got Americans to announce their various identities and then villainize people who identify differently or who don't profess to being an ally. Criticize the posturing, not the person's race or gender, experts say. Third, build bridges. Talk to people you disagree with, advises therapist Esther Perel. Connection kills division. It's not about demonizing, it's about dismantling the game. When you take the time to talk to someone from a different walk of life or who holds a different opinion, when you get past the rhetoric, you often notice that you have more in common than you think. Now here's the takeaway Virtual signaling might feel righteous, but it's a loneliness trap.

Speaker 1: 15:08

It's dividing us humans, shrinking our worlds, and maybe, just maybe, someone wants it that way. Don't buy the hype. Reject the script. Connect instead. Agree to disagree. Your sanity, society and humanity depend on it.

Speaker 1: 15:24

Until next time, friends, I'm Antoinette Lee, your wellness warrior here at the New Normal Big Life Podcast. I hope one day to see you on the river in the backcountry or in the horse barn living your best life. Tag New Normal Big Life on social media at NNBLblog on X and celebrate, so we can celebrate your good health and big life. If you're a visual learner, you can watch an informative and entertaining version of this video on YouTube at New Normal Big Life Channel coming soon, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Share this episode with someone who needs it.

Speaker 1: 16:01

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