The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens Social Overshoot? Dunbar’s Number, Real Relationships, and Musical Chairs | Frankly 94
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May 9, 2025 In a world packed with digital connections, loneliness is on the rise. This discussion dives into how technology disrupts meaningful relationships. It highlights Dunbar's number, suggesting there's a limit to the quality of our interactions. Attention is presented as a rare and invaluable gift in our distracted lives. The conversation also examines how oversaturated social networks can backfire and urges a focus on nurturing close bonds. As we face uncertain times, who will be our true support system when the music of life changes?
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Dunbar's Number Limits Relationships
- Dunbar's number suggests humans can maintain about 150 stable, meaningful relationships based on evolutionary social brain capacity.
- This limit shaped our ancestral communities and influences how we can connect meaningfully today.
Power of Full Attention
- Full attention is the greatest gift humans can give each other, surpassing money or even time.
- Modern culture's supernormal stimuli hijack our focus, making full presence increasingly rare.
MDMA Reveals True Attention
- Nate's friend uses MDMA as a marital tool to experience genuine connection and feel truly seen by his partner.
- His partner values the full attention during these moments more than the substance's effects.