That’s the heart of it, really. Liberalism is loneliness. The state isn’t our sibling; the market won’t be our mate. And the more either the right or left’s solutions attempt to fill in the gaps — “more markets, for you to attempt to buy back what has been destroyed! More regulations, to protect you when you can’t!” — the more obvious it becomes that the entire concept is flawed.

– Christine Emba, talking about a book by Patrick Deneen

This is simplistic, and many have said the same thing with much more sophistication – but it’s as good a summation of the complaint as you’ll find anywhere, I think.  It’s a complaint you hear a lot, from a lot of different people, at least if you inhabit my little corner of the blogosphere. 

And I all I can think is: you poor dumb fuckers.

It’s like watching a nerdy kid reading epic fantasy novels and wishing that there were real danger and violence in his life, so that he could be a hero, so that he could feel like his existence has purpose. 

An un-liberal society – an embedded society with a thick network of connections and strong role-based obligations – would fucking destroy you, pal.  There are people who can weather that kind of thing, there are even people who thrive in it…much like war…but if you’re reading this, the odds are very very slim that you are anything like such a person.  

I understand that there are important things missing from your life, I earnestly sympathize with your desire to make a world where you don’t have to be alone or adrift or whatever-it-is, I think that the people who mock and shame you for your plight are probably vile, but this is actually a hard problem and you need a better answer.