Overwhelmed and Underrated (More Happiness in Loneliness)

You may be able to get away with it on a Friday night – after all, it’s been a long week and you’re really exhausted. But on Saturday, there are no excuses - you’ve had the whole day to relax, you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything the next day – no, there are absolutely no excuses for not going out on a Saturday night!

Should you still plan a quiet Saturday night and have the guts to tell someone about it, you are quite likely to encounter a conversations along these lines:

They: So what are you up to this weekend?
You: Not much.

They: You coming out tomorrow night?
You: No, I think I’m just gonna take it easy.

They: And do what?
You: Cook some dinner, watch a movie, go to bed early… just relax!
They: Seriously? On a Saturday night???

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little.

But it does seem that as life is giving us more and more options – cocktails and jazz; beer and pool; classical, pop and rock concerts; dancing the night away; braai and a pool party; dinner, movie, drinks; poker games - it has taken one important one away: the option not to choose any of the above.

As I was enjoying a quiet Saturday night, I was wondering when it became socially unacceptable to stay at home. Since when is spending time with family not time well spent? Why are a cup of tea and a book no longer considered good entertainment? And why is a chat in a busy bar suitable entertainment for a Saturday night but a phone call to a friend is not?

It seems that the more choices there are and the more extravagant they get, the less acceptable it is to choose simple ones – after all, why would you possibly want a boring pizza margarita when you can have one with basil pesto, Parma ham, rocket, walnuts and sundried tomatoes?

Taking this argument even further (admittedly to extremes): Emancipation has opened up hundreds of doors for women and nowadays we can be everything we want to be – surgeons and firefighters; politicians and movie directors; astronauts and football players. But as modern life is offering women a sheer unlimited amount of career choices, it seems to have taken one away: Choosing a family instead of a career. While perfectly normal and acceptable fifty years ago, society now seems to look down on women who choose not to pursue a career but dedicate their lives to raising their children and providing a home for their families.

As hundred new doors open, an old one seems to close…