Religion seems to make us happier because it reduces our collective loneliness. As a divinity schoolfellow, casper began studying whether other secular public spaces could offer the community building interactions that churches provided. Caspar has found that some jims in fitness centres have picked up on our thirst for a community and have incorporated it into their exercise programes. A kind of communal learning environment is a great way to meet people in a way that's not very intense. Whatever it is, put yourself in a communal learning environment where you get to learn alongside other people.
Loneliness is a far more common and far more serious problem than we think. It affects one in five Americans, and takes a toll on our bodies and minds. To thrive we need to several types of social interactions - both casual and more intimate.
With the help of US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy; Harvard Divinity School fellow Casper ter Kuile; and friendship expert Marisa Franco; Dr Laurie Santos looks at how loneliness might be affecting you or someone you know, and what science-back steps you can take to increase your circle of friends.
For further reading:
Vivek Murthy - Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World.
Marisa Franco - Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends as an Adult.
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