Turn on the news, and you’ll be accosted with narratives of societal decline and tempted to despair. Dr. Eric Reinhart is one voice fighting for hope in the disadvantaged communities of Chicago, Illinois. With a kaleidoscope of degrees and credentials, Dr. Reinhart works to address both the symptoms of poverty and disadvantage by addressing their root causes.

In this episode, he explains the factors that influenced his multifaceted career, how he views the empathy and the nihilistic impulses of society, and how restoring public trust through accompaniment could help us reconnect with one another.

Mentioned in the Episode

Eric Reinhart

Harvard History of Science – Charles Rosenburg, Allan Brandt, Jeremy Greene

Paul Farmer

Arthur Kleinman

Community health worker systems

Jim Kim, Ophelia Dahl

Brigham Women’s Hospital

Carl Bell

Accompaniment

Immanuel Kant

Empathy vs. Sympathy

68,000 people die per year due to lack of health coverage

Eric Reinhart on nihilism

Long term decline of male labor force participation

Deaths of despair

Bullshit jobs book

Slate piece on gun control