The formative value of a room of one's own and its use in a hyperconnected world

With the rise of Modernity, times and spaces became tightly
controlled: a space for every time, a time for every space
and a particular way of behaving in each. To ward off the fear
that this might stifle the free development of truly personal
identity, the moderns created a room of one s own. This space
gave one the chance to be alone with oneself and to stop to
think about the world, other people and the role one was
called to play. This article aims to show, firstly, the extent to
which a room of one s own has been and still is a
fundamental formative space. Secondly, it analyses how such a
room is currently used in a world where information and
communication technologies tend to fill up every space,
thereby hindering the enjoyment of solitude. Finally, it
concludes with the need to bring back its traditional use if we
want the new generations to keep developing as individuals,
with their own authentic and, especially, autonomous
personalities.

With the rise of Modernity, times and spaces became tightly
controlled: a space for every time, a time for every space
and a particular way of behaving in each. To ward off the fear
that this might stifle the free development of truly personal
identity, the moderns created a room of one s own. This space
gave one the chance to be alone with oneself and to stop to
think about the world, other people and the role one was
called to play. This article aims to show, firstly, the extent to
which a room of one s own has been and still is a
fundamental formative space. Secondly, it analyses how such a
room is currently used in a world where information and
communication technologies tend to fill up every space,
thereby hindering the enjoyment of solitude. Finally, it
concludes with the need to bring back its traditional use if we
want the new generations to keep developing as individuals,
with their own authentic and, especially, autonomous
personalities.