There's a difference between living alone and living alone with depression. I can't truly relax or do what I need/want because I'm not ultimately in control of the situation. I don't choose to be alone. The situation you describe bears little resemblance to my experience of solitude.

Not trying to start a pity party or anything, but you're describing taking a long weekend off of work, when I'm talking about months of neurochemically-enforced solitude. There's a big difference.

It's not just you. I hear horror stories about how terrible it is to be in solitary confinement and all I can think is, that's like my whole life for months at a time. Much rather be in solitary than in the *shudder* general population.

Or anyway, as a guy who's never been to prison, that's what I'd opt for, given the choice.

This is a grossly overstated, bordering on deeply insulting, generalization. I would never go on Google+.

Don't worry, the new golden age of PC gaming is here. Indie devs are making an astonishing number of remarkable games. I'm disappointed I won't be playing D3, for sure - but I'll get over it with Grimrock, Minecraft, Wasteland 2, Torchlight 2, X-COM... just to name a few. It won't hurt Activision, but I've quietly passed on this and probably all future Blizzard games.

We'll always have Blackthorne, Bliz.

Sure, sure, all of that is scary. But think of the ultra-porn!

Fiscal austerity in a liquidity trap is not Keynesian, so to claim it has failed is reading from a fraudulent playbook.

Let's try a serious stimulus (this time) to let states rehire teachers and police, extend the school day and resume civics, music, arts, theater, sports after-school programs, and get some national infrastructure projects going. Let the Fed finally fulfill their dual mandate to maximize employment by bumping inflation up to 4% to get big business spending instead of stuffing bonds into their mattresses. Let's see to it that no child in this country goes without healthcare or food. Let's make sure banks that are insured by our tax dollars aren't taking depositor money to Vegas.Hell, while we're at it and on Slashdot, let's nationalize the last fscking mile and create an even field for all comers as ISPs again, opening the doors of competition for a new generation of high-tech entrepreneurs.

Let's pay for it by borrowing at negative rates while we have them and getting serious about collecting taxes from corporations who sit on war chests and individuals who make enough in a day to pay my entire yearly budget three times over - but pay about half the tax rate I do. Let's make some common-sense efficiency changes to entitlement programs that will not curtail services but will reduce overhead and duplication of effort. LET'S ELIMINATE THE DHS IN ITS ENTIRETY. Let's stop feeding the new Jim Crow incarceration industry with our money by criminalizing things like pot and bullying, and instead address the underlying societal factors that drive people to destructive behavior, saving money and creating futures (with better paying jobs, and thus a stronger tax base) for 10% of the population where before they had none.

This isn't an exhaustive list, and most of these aren't my ideas, but they ARE my idea of a good goddamn start.

I'm not sure why you're directing this remark at me, apart from looking for someone to troll. I'm pointing out the distinction you inartfully describe and stating that the red blooded murrikan man has a hard time seeing the difference. I am American, but I'm not part of that particular demographic.

Get it? Got it? Good.

You should probably learn something about this disease before you run your mouth.

I have to say, I think you underestimate the impact of fake crap media on men. The whole hyper-macho thing is largely an American construction. Even countries which punish homosexuality with death (Iran) think nothing of two straight men hugging, or even holding hands. Here, it's all NO-HOMO all the time.

Where do "spoiled" or "rich" come into it? Have you met many models? Not a life I would choose. The fashion industry exploits youth. Just because the pretty pictures make them look one way, doesn't make it true - in fact, that's the whole point of this article!