hackertube.io

How To Be Alone

Andrea Dorfman · other · Watch on YouTube

Literature & writing craftPsychology & human behaviorVisual arts, photography & architecture

What it is

An animated short film of Tanya Davis's spoken-word poem 'How To Be Alone', illustrated by Andrea Dorfman. It gently argues that being alone can be embraced and enjoyed.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters point lonely people to it as a moving, comforting piece of art about getting comfortable with solitude.

  • 6 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2010, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “I guess this video kind of sums up my thoughts.”

    Sums up the commenter's view on being alone.

    fleitz, 2010-09 · Recommendation · in “How Loneliness is Contagious”

  2. “it just genuinely helped me from time to time and I hope it will also help others.”

    Helped the commenter through loneliness.

    paganel, 2013-06 · Recommendation · in “Only the Lonely”

  3. “I think it nicely captures the sentiment of doing things alone.”

    Captures the sentiment of doing things alone.

    barbs, 2015-05 · Recommendation · in “Start doing more things alone”

  4. “One piece of art that I loved that is about this topic is this”

    Art about loneliness, worth watching.

    ptrklly, 2022-03 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: I'm So Lonely”

  5. “an old YouTube video I found helpful called how to be alone”

    Helpful for learning to be alone.

    idealboy, 2026-03 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: How to Be Alone?”

  6. “I've always found this poem moving and valuable when it comes to building comfort in being alone.”

    Moving poem about comfort in being alone.

    forrestpitz, 2026-03 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: How to Be Alone?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: poetry, loneliness, solitude, animation, tanya davis

Also recommended by the same people