In the past we had communities. They provided us with a context of meaning for our lives. We have lost that. So the context people have for their lives is either money, or just themselves.

Many people have not even experienced community these days. Imagine where you feel part of something bigger than yourself. A gestalt, where the whole is greater than the sum.

We People grew being in that situation - we would hunt, farm, fix things, make things - better not just for ourselves but for our community. It became our nature, just as it has became the nature of sheep dogs to herd.

Imagine a sheep dog who lives a life with no sheep. They have all that built into their nature and never get to be that. That is you and so many other people. So there is your challenge.

It is interesting that you say that, because it may explain my relative ease with this particular transition. Community ( as understood these days -- not exactly a neighborhood, but not just your household either ) was not really my guiding light before so its potential loss is not as pronounced to me. In other words, loss of that context does not visibly affect me.