101 - From Solitude to Social Fitness: Rethinking Connection in the 21st Century (with Derek Thompson)

101 - From Solitude to Social Fitness: Rethinking Connection in the 21st Century (with Derek Thompson)

Americans are spending more time alone than we have in a long, long time. That wouldn't be such a big deal if we weren't also reporting feelings of increased anxiety and unhappiness. This is why journalist Derek Thompson, in his recent cover story for The Atlantic, titled "The Anti-Social Century" (link below), writes, “Self-imposed solitude might just be the most important social fact of the 21st century in America." Today, Brad and Clay talk to Derek about how we got here, the consequences it's having on our society and culture, and why we might need to think about taking "social fitness" as seriously as we take physical fitness. We discuss the difference between loneliness (which isn't such a bad thing) and aloneness (which is), the role that technology and dopamine plays in all of this, how to think about the purpose of solitude in your life, and how we can improve America's social fitness, individually and collectively. Plus: Derek is one of the most prolific people we know and we spend some time at the end breaking down the habits, routines, and philosophies that help him get it all done.


"The Anti-Social Century" by Derek Thompson (The Atlantic)

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/american-loneliness-personality-politics/681091/


Join The Growth Equation Academy today. 40% off for a limited time!

https://the-growtheq-academy.mn.co/


If you are enjoying FAREWELL, do us a huge favor: text your favorite episode to three people so they can enjoy it, too. Thanks!


Got a question, feedback, or ideas for the show? Email clay.growtheq@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (646) 893-9503


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Avsnitt(345)

Q+A: On Bad Habits, Post-Race Fitness, and “Boring” Work

Q+A: On Bad Habits, Post-Race Fitness, and “Boring” Work

As a thanks you to you on Thanksgiving week, we're answering a handful of listener questions.1. How can I navigate periods of intense work where my life is out of balance without developing bad habits...

27 Nov 202540min

The Mental Fitness Playbook: Resilience, Regulation, and Flexibility

The Mental Fitness Playbook: Resilience, Regulation, and Flexibility

Elite performers know: mental fitness needs the same intentional training as physical fitness. In this episode, we break down mental fitness into three trainable components: resilience (your mental st...

20 Nov 202541min

Doing it All: The CEO Who Ran a 2:29 Marathon (with Nick Thompson)

Doing it All: The CEO Who Ran a 2:29 Marathon (with Nick Thompson)

How does someone become CEO of The Atlantic, run a 2:29 marathon at age 44, write books, make music, and still be present for their family? For the answer, we turned to Nick Thompson, who, convenientl...

13 Nov 202546min

The Optimization Trap — and How to Escape It

The Optimization Trap — and How to Escape It

This week, we use the L.A. Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s gutsy back-to-back World Series appearances in Game 6 and 7 to discuss what we’re calling the optimization (or protocol) trap. This is when you...

6 Nov 202544min

The Marathon Mindset: How to Endure, Actually

The Marathon Mindset: How to Endure, Actually

In anticipation of the New York City Marathon this weekend, we (well, okay, mostly Steve) discuss the ins and outs of how to have your best race, building you a complete toolkit to help you get throug...

30 Okt 202559min

Everything You Need to Know About Managing Fatigue

Everything You Need to Know About Managing Fatigue

For a long time, it was assumed that fatigue was a muscular phenomenon. It was thought be a set point and once you hit it, you couldn't go any further—like running into a wall. However, more recent re...

23 Okt 202544min

7 Lessons to Help You Unlock an Elite Competitor's Mindset

7 Lessons to Help You Unlock an Elite Competitor's Mindset

We talk a lot on this podcast about the principles that underlie true excellence, so we’re especially excited when we see those core ideas exemplified in the real world. On today’s podcast, Steve, Bra...

16 Okt 202536min

How Curiosity Can Take Your Performance to the Next Level

How Curiosity Can Take Your Performance to the Next Level

Today, we're exploring the transformative power of curiosity, which is one of the most effective tools elite performers use in high-pressure situations. We'll explain how shifting from a mindset of fe...

9 Okt 202545min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
det-skaver
alska-oss
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
nu-blir-det-historia
not-fanny-anymore
roda-vita-rosen
johannes-hansen-podcast
sektledare
rss-viktmedicinpodden
sa-in-i-sjalen
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
allt-du-velat-veta
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rss-basta-livet
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
rss-traningsklubben
sex-pa-riktigt-med-marika-smith