MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Vanessa Wills, associate professor of philosophy at George Washington University, will delve into the roots of modern loneliness and the importance of friendships at Middle Tennessee State University’s spring Applied Philosophy Lyceum.

“Loving (An)Other: Friendship in the Face of Scarcity and Competition” will be the focus of Wills’ free public lecture, set for 5 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Room 164 of the College of Education, 1756 MTSU Blvd. on campus.

“Wills, author of ‘Marx’s Ethical Vision,’ is a leading theorist and scholar of ethical, social and political philosophy,” said event organizer Gregory Slack, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. “Her work, which draws on insights from 19th-century German philosophy — especially that of Karl Marx — is at the cutting edge of current philosophical debates about how to create a more humane social world, and what such a world would be like.”

Her talk comes as loneliness and isolation are increasingly recognized as widespread societal issues. A 2025 survey by the American Psychological Association found that 54% of U.S. adults report feeling isolated, 50% say they often feel left out, and 69% say they did not receive enough emotional support during the previous year.

While some commentators have focused on what they describe as a “male loneliness epidemic,” Wills argues the issue affects both men and women.

According to Wills, a range of social and economic pressures contribute to this growing sense of isolation. Rising living costs, demanding “hustle culture,” and the loss of social gathering spaces outside home and work have made it harder for people to build and maintain connections. The lingering social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also played a role.

In her lecture, Wills will examine how these pressures shape the way people experience friendship and community. She will also explore how different social and economic conditions might foster stronger human connections.

Slack added that Wills’ scholarship demonstrates “the enduring indispensability of philosophy for coping with the seismic changes we are all living through.”

The event is free and open to the public. Because this is an after-hours event, parking is free and available in the Bragg and Honors lots. A searchable campus parking map is available at https://bit.ly/2026parkingmap.

Email gregory.slack@mtsu.edu for more details about the event.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu