I think I'd rather spend 3 years in solitary (given adequate books, ability to write, etc.) than in general prison population. I accept that I'm probably an outlier, though.
2. I think that you would be really surprised how cruel the lack of social contact can be. We are wired to be social but it's hard to even imagine spending prolonged time without talking to others etc. because most of us have never experienced it.
Someone who has never experienced hunger could think that they would be OK without food... but I am pretty sure they would change their mind after three days without a bite.
I've done 10-12 days a few times, and routinely do ~5 days.
You need to experience it for yourself before you make such bold claims. It's a very intense experience.
I agree it's intense, but not exclusively bad. And I'm pretty sure I'd prefer it by far to being in prison with contact with inmates and COs.
There are a lot of people who have spent weeks/months solo in pursuits like sailing. It clearly isn't just the isolation of solitary which is a problem; it's probably more to do with 1) the type of people sent there and 2) the lack of control over one's own destiny. People who require "social interaction", put in a new/stressful situation against their will, etc. are a lot more likely to suffer from it than people who aren't particularly social and are solitary voluntarily and in a non-stressful setting.
What's the longest time you've ever gone without seeing or talking to another human where you can't easily do so? i.e. you can just walk outside and see one, or pickup the phone, or chat on internet.
I do remote hiking trips where it would take me 5 days to see another person even if I wanted to.
Remove yourself from the world, completely.
(This also becomes a philosophical/psychological question: is it more holy to resist sin when surrounded by temptation, or when in a pure environment? Is it harder to avoid talking to people if you know you just have to pick up a phone to do so, or when it's a serious production?)
That being said, some people are hardier to the idea of being in solitude, though it does usually take some training to get there. However most people aren't that hardy, especially in the extreme case of solitary confinement.
Lots of space, and the Internet, though.
so not solitary
> Lots of space, and the Internet, though
and not (physically or mentally) confinement either
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The only way in which you are an outlier is that you have an inflated sense of your own awesomeness.
I imagine political prisoners do comparatively well in solitary, too, or the extremely religious, etc. I know from the other side, religiosity and belief in one's cause are the main ways to successfully resist torture or other psychological hardship.
I kinda forgot a bit how to talk but apart from that it was pure bliss. I had lots of games and books though.
Other people think that inmates are anti-social people. But were they always anti-social? Or just some of the time? And how is anti-social measured? Do extroverts make less anti-social people? And if so, does it matter that many inmates are also extroverts?
Bureaucracy seems to be incredibly painful in the Justice system. Decisions get made. To reverse those decisions it becomes a problem in itself. To err is human? To persist on it is stupid. Or is it just a bureaucratic mare?