

Ask Me Anything | Forgiveness, Comparison & Finding Community with Elizabeth Oldfield & Joe Downy
Sep 10, 2025
Joe Downy, producer of a beloved podcast and a voice for authentic conversations, joins Elizabeth Oldfield to tackle listener questions. They dive into the complexities of loneliness and the importance of community in today's atomized society. The pair discusses the balance between embracing similarities and differences in relationships. They share insights on parenting, focusing on nurturing curiosity and empathy in children. Personal anecdotes reveal the value of communal experiences and the struggle with unmet dreams and societal comparisons.
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Deliberately Seek Local, Diverse Spaces
- Fight your way out of echo chambers by intentionally joining local spaces and activities.
- Try volunteering, community gardens, choirs or congregations to meet people unlike you regularly.
Connection Is A Public-Health Need
- Social atrophy physically and mentally shrinks us the more we live isolated lives.
- Rebuilding human connection muscles is as essential to health as food and exercise.
Brownies And Awkward Neighbour Introductions
- Elizabeth and her family knocked on neighbours' doors with brownies to introduce themselves.
- Many people were suspicious or absent, showing how hard neighbourliness can be in London.