Understanding the Loneliness Epidemic | John Vervaeke on Trust, Belonging & Meaning

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May 14, 2025

01:01:43

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This week on Live Well Be Well, I'm delighted to welcome cognitive scientist and philosopher John Vervaeke to explore what he calls "the meaning crisis" - a profound cultural shift affecting our collective wellbeing and sense of purpose.

John unpacks why meaning is so essential to our cognitive agency, selfhood, and personhood. We explore how modern life has disconnected us from ourselves, from each other, and from the world around us, leading to rising mental health issues, addiction, and loneliness. As John explains, finding meaning isn't about pursuing individual purpose but about cultivating wisdom through shared experience and connection.

As he powerfully notes, we shouldn't get deeply involved with someone who hasn't experienced significant grief because "they have not developed their humanity." We also discuss how to develop wisdom through what he calls "the flow state" - when we're so fully engaged that our sense of time diminishes and self-consciousness falls away.

About John Vervaeke:

John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist, philosopher, and award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto. His work combines cognitive science, philosophy, Buddhism, and other wisdom traditions to address the challenges of meaning-making in our modern world. John is the creator of the Awakening from the Meaning Crisis lecture series and author of a book by the same name.

Connect with John Vervaeke:

Website: johnvervaeke.com
Facebook: John Vervaeke
YouTube: @johnvervaeke
Book: https://amzn.to/3Udpgox
Lectern Courses: http://lectern.teachable.com

Love,

Sarah Ann 💛

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Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

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Highlights:

Introduction (00:00)

How Meaning Works in Cognitive Agency (01:06)

Belonging and Connection to Reality (04:14)

The Role of Trust in Meaning (06:21)

The Breakdown of Trust in Society (13:04)

John's Personal Journey Through Meaning Crisis (15:07)

The Connection Between Wisdom and Meaning (19:45)

Trauma, Transcendence and Meaning (22:55)

Purpose vs. Orientation in Life (24:13)

The Three Dimensions of Disconnection (28:57)