“I get by with a little help from my friends,” Ringo Starr sang in 1967. Indeed, his pals Paul and John wrote this catchy tune specifically for him to sing, and his buddy George backed him up on guitar. While your friends might not lift you up to The Beatles’ level of Starr-dom (sorry, couldn’t resist), they may be more crucial to your health, wealth, and happiness than you think. With studies showing loneliness on the rise and people struggling to make friends, these episodes offer a variety of inspiring perspectives and advice on platonic love. Learn why close friendships are essential, how to cultivate and strengthen them, and how to recover when they’re not so chummy.
Tend to Your Friendships, Tend to Yourself
In this episode of Intelligence Squared, physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski speaks with anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist, Robin Dunbar, Ph.D. on how our health and wellbeing depend upon our close connections and friendships. Dr. Dunbar’s research led him to propose Dunbar’s number, a figure suggesting that an individual can maintain meaningful relationships with about 150 people. Dr. Dunbar is currently head of the Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience Research Group in the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford.
Deepen Your Friendships with Compassion
Join psychologist and meditation teacher Tara Brach, Ph.D. on a journey into the heart of compassion as she sits down with Kate Johnson, meditation teacher and author of the New York Times bestseller, Radical Friendship. They discuss societal impediments to connection, friendship as a spiritual practice, and Buddhist teachings that can expand our capacity for empathy.
Recover from Bumps in the Road
Tune into NPR’s It’s Been a Minute to hear host Sam Sanders catch up with digital strategist Aminatou Sow and writer Ann Friedman, co-authors of the book Big Friendship and co-hosts of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend. Aminatou and Ann discuss the difficulties they faced in their own friendship, then offer advice for friends struggling with challenges like long distance, miscommunication, or difference in race.
