People try to deaden their inner discontent by ever increasing their hectic pace, by trying to fill every moment of every day with ever more activities. Yet people find no lasting satisfaction. The hectic pace and the pursuit of pleasure and prosperity, have instead broken down people's closeness to other people. People have never been in such close and constant contact with others - with their pagers and their cellular phones and their email. So much contact, and yet so little closeness.
People are like a bunch of billiard balls bumping into each other on a pool table.
The irony of modern life is that our cities are today crowded with lonely people. The ancient mariner cried out, Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. Modern man cries out, People, people everywhere, and not a close companion to share life with. We are surrounded by lonely, isolated people who are seeking fulfillment in their work or in their TV set and satellite dish or through video games or through parties and social events. The problem is that they do not find in these activities that satisfying fulfillment which can only come through genuine companionship.