DeepSummary
Max Lugavere interviews Kasley Killam, an expert on social health, about the importance of social connections for overall well-being. They discuss how social health is often overlooked compared to physical and mental health, but is equally crucial for longevity and happiness. Killam highlights concerning trends showing a decline in meaningful social connections and the need for intentional efforts to foster relationships.
Killam shares practical strategies for improving social health, such as stretching social muscles by making new friends, resting by taking breaks from socializing, toning by deepening existing connections, and flexing by sustaining relationships long-term. They explore how technology and social media can both help and hinder social health, and the potential benefits and risks of using AI for companionship.
The conversation covers the impact of the built environment and community design on fostering social health, and Killam's vision for a socially healthy society that prioritizes connection across healthcare, technology, policies, and community initiatives. They emphasize the broad implications of social health on physical health, mental health, and overall well-being.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Social health, defined as the dimension of well-being that comes from connection, is often overlooked but equally crucial as physical and mental health.
- Concerning trends show a decline in meaningful social connections, with people having fewer friends and less in-person interactions.
- Practical strategies for improving social health include stretching (making new connections), resting (taking breaks from socializing), toning (deepening existing connections), and flexing (sustaining relationships long-term).
- Technology and social media can both help and hinder social health, so it's important to use them intentionally and design them with social health in mind.
- Using AI companions as a sole source of connection is concerning and suggests a need for a society that prioritizes and empowers in-person relationships.
- Community design, policies, and healthcare systems should prioritize social health alongside physical and mental health.
- Social connections have broad implications for physical health, mental health, longevity, and overall well-being.
- A socially healthy society requires intentional efforts across various sectors, including technology, policies, healthcare, and community initiatives.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So I define it as the dimension of our overall health and well being that comes from connection.“ by Kasley Killam
- “If you feel supported, if you have those close ties, you have a lower risk of heart disease, of dementia, of depression, of premature mortality at the severe end of things.“ by Kasley Killam
- “We need to be intentional about connecting each day and about reaching out to friends and spending quality time with them, our loved ones, because it's as important for our health as any of those other factors.“ by Kasley Killam
- “If technology is going to be embedded in the fabric of our lives forever. We need to be really thoughtful about how and what we're designing for us to be socially healthy.“ by Kasley Killam
- “I hope that we will be more intentional about creating a world where people feel empowered to go out and weather the highs and lows of in person relationships.“ by Kasley Killam
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Episode Information
The Genius Life
Max Lugavere
6/19/24
Kasley Killam, MPH, is internationally recognized as a leading expert in social health. She is the author of The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier.
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