Episode 22 - The Power of Community:
Why Humans Don’t Thrive Alone
Episode Overview
In this episode, Karina and Maria take you back to 1905 and into the Thursday Night gatherings that formed the Bloomsbury Group — a small community that transformed art, literature, and even economics.
From Virginia Woolf’s courage to innovate to Vanessa Bell’s wild creativity, we explore how a supportive community fuels autonomy, creativity, resilience, and well-being.
You’ll learn the science behind why community is biologically essential — not just “nice to have” — and how isolation impacts your health, motivation, and creativity.
We also break down how to build the kind of meaningful community that helps you thrive.
And of course, we end with this week’s Tiny Experiment to help you take action.
Topics Covered
- The Bloomsbury Group’s Thursday gatherings
- Why community boosts creativity and well-being
- The health consequences of loneliness
- Dunbar’s number and why meaningful connections matter
- Vulnerability as a gateway to creativity
- How creative entrepreneurs can build the right kind of community
Time Stamps
00:00 — Introduction: A room where you can say anything
00:02 — The story of the Bloomsbury Group
00:07 — What made Thursday nights so powerful
00:08 — Modern-day community: Zoom, Slack, podcast gatherings
00:09 — Personal stories about moving, isolation & rebuilding community
00:13 — The science: Self-Determination Theory & psychological needs
00:14 — Community and longevity: the shocking health research
00:15 — Immune system, blood pressure, recovery rates & social connection
00:16 — Behavioral contagion: how emotions and habits spread
00:17 — Mirror neurons & why we resonate with others
00:18 — Loneliness as a public health epidemic
00:19 — Why creatives need community for autonomy
00:20 — Accountability, resilience, and risk-taking
00:21 — Dunbar’s Number: Why 150 connections is the limit
00:22 — Vulnerability and Brene Brown
00:24 — The five key elements of powerful communities
00:25 — Community in hard times
00:26 — Introducing Ignite
00:27 — This week’s Tiny Experiment
00:31 — Closing, invitations & where to find us
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References & further reading
Self-Determination Theory:
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78.
- https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/
- https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-13324-007
Social Relationships & Mortality:
- Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLOS Medicine, 7(7).
- https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
Social Contagion:
- Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2007). The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(4), 370-379.
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmsa066082
Loneliness & Social Isolation:
- Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227-237.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614568352
Dunbar’s Number:
- Dunbar, R. I. M. (1992). Neocortex size as a constraint on group size in primates. Journal of Human Evolution, 22(6), 469-493.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/004724849290081J
U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Loneliness:
- Murthy, V. (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.
- https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
Books:
- Murthy, V. (2020). Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Harper Wave.
- Cacioppo, J. T., & Patrick, W. (2008). Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. W. W. Norton & Company.
- Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Gotham Books.
Additional SDT Resources:
Additional Resources:
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