120. We Are Made for Connections

I just finished reading a report that came out a few months ago titled “The Connection Opportunity: Insights forBringing Americans Together Across Difference” by a group called “More in Common.” I had such interesting insights come to me from reading it, and I wanted to read sections of the introduction and the key findings as I think this are important to understand.

Humans are wired to connect. From an early age, we seek out familiar voices and faces, we monitor the needs and emotions of others, and we engage in play and mimic what we see people around us do. This need for connection is so fundamental that being deprived of it can contribute to negative health outcomes, ranging from heart disease to mental illness. Although the frequency with which people interact with others naturally fluctuates across the lifespan—of sustained periods of social isolation pose a serious risk to lifelong well-being.

This report focuses on what Americans are saying keeps them from connecting, particularly across differences and what helps them want to connect more.

The Connection Opportunity: https://moreincommonus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/The-Connection-Opportunity_More-in-Common_2025.pdf