We humans are social animals, and most of us cannot thrive, or even survive, in isolation. Our society is not geared to foster connections, let alone community. As Johann Hari explains so well in his book, Lost Connections, the disconnection from other people, from meaningful work, from values, from truth, from respect, from nature, from hope and security—all of these lost connections are the reason for most of the anxiety and “depression” that many of us feel.
The good news is that one of the easiest ways to improve how we live is simply to form real connections—be part of communities that are meaningful to you, help others, get outside, tell the truth, do meaningful work, and cultivate deep, authentic connections with other people. It wasn’t easy for me to begin with, but you get good at what you do, and over time I’ve been able to find—and build—the community that I want to be part of.
Thanks to Dan Halioua for coming up with “community is necessary” back in the AdMonsters days!
