Episode 09 – No One Is Coming To Save You
This episode discusses connection, finding commonalities without compromising our values, and how to build our own communities especially when we feel lost, like the solutions to our current situation is eluding us, and when we feel the weight of isolation.
Resources referenced in the episode:
Are You Really the Average of the 5 People You Spend the Most Time With? Why purpose, not people, shapes who you become by Dr. Jordan Grumet (from Psychology Today)
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-regret-free-life/202508/you-arent-a-product-of-the-5-people-you-spend-time-with
- …modern life has eroded… proximity. The weakening of religious institutions, the geographic dispersion of work, and the replacement of in-person community with social media scrolling have all contributed to something more worrisome. We are more disconnected than ever.
The Backfire Effect: https://neurolaunch.com/backfire-effect-psychology/ (TL;DR when we call someone out on them being wrong and it only solidifies their opinion on the thing they’re wrong about, aka when facts don’t matter to them)
- About halfway down there’s discussions on how to deal with this
Meetup Starter: The Complete Guide for First‑Time Organizers https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/30611329944461-Meetup-Starter-The-Complete-Guide-for-First-Time-Organizers
Get What You Want episode: https://smashingsuccessstories.com/episode-07-get-what-you-want/
Conversation with Karen Lee-Coss: https://smashingsuccessstories.com/episode-06-conversation-with-karen-lee-coss/
Find your US congressional representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Find your US senator: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
How To Stop A Data Center Near You: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2026/03/05/how-to-stop-a-data-center-near-you/
The praxis
- Interest-based groups
- Volunteering
- If no community exists for your interest, create one
- Leverage technology especially if networking and social spaces are challenging
- Take ownership and DIY – if you are waiting for someone to do it for you, chances are there are other people waiting for the same thing
- And share the load, be vocal about what you need help with
- Have a general idea and know what you’re comfortable handling, what you’re happy to delegate, decisions you want to be involved with, and developing a direction and ethos for your group
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