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Why 'Cost Disease' Is the Secret Force Behind America's Toxic Solitude

derekthompson.org · 1,644 words · saved by 1 readers

The screens got cheap. The shared experiences got expensive.

Why 'Cost Disease' Is the Secret Force Behind America's Toxic Solitude The screens got cheap. The shared experiences got expensive. Derek Thompson Apr 07, 2026 850 30 157 Share I have written a lot about the American crisis of solitude and how it connects to technology, politics, religion, and well-being. What I haven’t explored as much is the economic origins of the phenomenon. That’s the subject of today’s guest post from Alex Mayyasi, the author—along with NPR’s Planet Money team—of the new book Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life . Photo by CDC on Unsplash Ame

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