The Office for National Statistieg hag just reported that ovar the last two dec- ades the proportion of people living alone doubled", a trend nuw highly pronounged fined lime the 2F-44 our h n y a third the adults in country live alone, a trend that looks set to continue. diainchination for togetherneaa Britain's is only equalled by her venoration of com municating through new technologies, The rapid Proliferation of electronic media is nawr making private spaee available in almost every sphere of the individual's life Yed this is nuw the most significant ributing factar tav societ Whether in or out physical estrangeme of the home, more people of all ages in the UK are phyaically and socially diaengaged from the peopk around them becauac they are wearing earphonea, talking or texting on a mobile telephone, cr using a laptop or Blackberry An increasing rumber of deaths caused by the wearers of MP3 play- stepping into oncoming ers inadvertently traffic has led to Senatorial proposal for a New York State distraeted walking bill to outlaw the use of mobile phones, handheld emailing devices such as Black- berries and video games while crossing a road. Senator Carl Kruger described how people walking around tuned in' were, i the process of being tuned in,being tuned out to the world anound them. The malady is rufurred to as"iPod oblivion'