TED Talks Daily

TED Talks Daily Book Club: You are not alone in your loneliness | Jonny Sun (re-release)

47 snips
Oct 26, 2025
Jonny Sun, a talented writer and artist celebrated for his confessional storytelling, dives deep into loneliness and connection. He shares how embracing vulnerability can lead to unexpected communities and support. Sun explains how humor and creativity, like his character Jomni the Alien, help normalize discussions about mental health. He highlights the internet's dual nature, both harmful and healing, showcasing how online interactions transformed his feelings of isolation into solidarity through shared experiences and togetherness.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Alien Character As Personal Mirror

  • Jonny Sun created Jomni, an alien character, to express feeling like an outsider while starting a doctoral program at MIT.
  • He used this story to channel personal loneliness into a creative, relatable narrative that connected with others online.
INSIGHT

The Void Can Echo With Company

  • Jonny Sun found comfort in 'speaking to the void' of social media because other people were also reaching out there.
  • He realized the internet's emptiness can become a space where many lonely people are actually listening and responding.
INSIGHT

Normalization Through Public Conversation

  • Seeing others talk about therapy and mental health online normalized those experiences for Jonny Sun.
  • That normalization helped him realize therapy could help him and reduced the stigma around seeking support.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app