Our Lure Of… events at the Cockpit are back for 2026. Intimate, open conversations where Byline Times contributors, readers, and supporters – along with anyone curious – come together to explore the forces shaping life in an increasingly fractured world.
On 2 February, our first session back will be The Lure of... Loneliness.
In recent years, loneliness has moved from a private feeling to a widely discussed social condition. Research shows that social circles are shrinking, particularly among younger people, even as digital platforms promise constant connection. Many of us spend more time online than ever, yet feel increasingly disconnected.
At the same time, the everyday places that once brought people together – community venues, clubs, local institutions – have quietly disappeared or become harder to access. The result is a growing sense that we’ve become disconnected, not just from one another, but from shared civic and cultural life.
Iain Overton is an award-winning investigative journalist and author who has written extensively about loneliness in the era of social media and artificial intelligence.
Jay Griffiths is a writer, cultural critic, and author whose work explores ecology, politics, freedom, and resistance to authoritarianism.
Clare Farrell is co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, fashion designer and convenor at the Humanity Project – which works to create a new democratic culture in the UK.
Join the team behind the independent investigative news outlet Byline Times for an entertaining evening of challenging discussion to help us understand the unprecedented times we are living in – and why they are happening – with those with an inside track.
Monday 2 February - 7:30pm
All under 18s should be accompanied by an adult
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