Daniele Bolelli: The Loneliness Epidemic And The Importance Of Human Connection

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When is the last time you called your friends?

In this episode of the Align Podcast, Daniele and I talk all about the loneliness epidemic and how little it's talked about amongst men in particular. We discuss how we should rebuild the foundations of our society in order to make it easier for people to express themselves and release their emotions and how physical communication varies between cultures. Daniele also touches upon the ‘friendship recession’ and whether capitalism pushes us towards sacrificing our relationships in exchange for successful careers. Human contact and connection are the foundation for health and well-being, but our society is currently in a deficit of close human relationships. Have a listen to find out how we can change the narrative!

Daniele Bolelli (born January 11, 1974) is an Italian writer, university professor, martial artist, and podcaster based in Southern California. He is the author of several books on philosophy, and martial arts, including On the Warrior's Path. Known for his writing since the 1990s in Italy and the early 2000s in the United States, Bolelli rose to greater public prominence in the 2010s, beginning with his appearances on popular podcasts such as The Joe Rogan Experience. He went on to create his own podcasts, and has hosted The Drunken Taoist since 2012 and History on Fire since 2015.Bolelli holds⁠ M.As⁠ in American Indian Studies and history from UCLA and California State University, Long Beach, and did postdoctoral research in history at Cardiff University.[3] As a professor, he has taught a wide variety of courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences on topics including Native American history and culture, Taoist philosophy, and Ancient Rome. He teaches at CSULB and Santa Monica College.

What we discussed in the episode:

04:06 Men are less likely than women to share their personal feelings with.

15:02 Darwin's theory of evolution

20:29 How have people lived typically for the bulk of human history compared to living alone in an apartment?

25:14 We're dealing with a huge mental health crisis.

34:32 Our architecture is actually set up against the community.

39:03 The value of actual physical contact.

44:36 How many people are uncomfortable getting a massage?

54:24 How do you navigate your own internal suffering?

01:00:40 Fear is written in the deepest layer of our DNA.

01:16:02 When people are angry they raise their voice.

01:30:38 A child needs to know that every emotion is fine.