I really enjoyed this conversation, so many thought provoking ideas dropped in there e.g. the role of work in our social lives, people from large families having fewer friends, and laughter being the physiological mechanism of bonding.
Dear Mark Vernon, your work is encouraging and covering so many vital areas on which your insights help to develop towards a better life - great content and many rhanks from Germany
Very interesting conversation. I really never considered the idea of friendship much until I quit working and moved away from my hometown. Also not warming up to the social media phenomenon early left me drifting in introspection for much of the pandemic. I did finally find out a way to socialize electronically, but it doesn’t quite feel the same as even “work friends”. I suppose it happens organically out in the world. Obviously life is richer with friends, but it’s more difficult to find them later in life I believe. Thanks for the video! I enjoy your podcast with your friend Rupert Sheldrake.
I have been reading the group-therapy theories of Trigant Burrow, J.L. Moreno and Kurt Lewin... I've been thinking alot about Dunbar's number. Thanks so much for this, Mark.
Footnote, re: Robin's notes about English dialect, around 48 mins. The local dialect effect is much less noticeable in North America. In Canada, we have essentially Quebec French, Newfoundlanders, and the rest of English Canada. I wouldn't know the difference between an accent from Burnaby, British Columbia and Brampton, Ontario (several thousand miles apart from each other). There may be some marginal distinctions between Maritimers and Central-Western English Canadians, but in general my English Canadian dialect puts me in a group of millions, not dozens or hundreds. I wonder what effect of the absence of the linguistic pillar has in North American culture, broadly speaking....
The seven pillars of friendship he mentioned make me feel less guilty for having preferences. I have tried to be all things to all people... but it doesn't work.
