What if loneliness isn’t a personal failure, but a biological signal that you’re built for connection?
In this powerful Thanksgiving Day episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with author, researcher, and longtime podcaster Don Martin, whose upcoming book, Where Did Everybody Go? unpacks one of the most misunderstood challenges of modern life: the loneliness crisis.
This conversation continues our acclaimed series The Irreplaceables, exploring the human qualities no machine can ever replicate. Today, Don illuminates why true healing also requires returning to each other.
Airing this episode on Thanksgiving is intentional. It’s a day framed around togetherness, but for millions of people, it is one of the loneliest days of the year. Whether you’re surrounded by family, on your own, grieving, working, or simply navigating the quiet, this conversation offers science, compassion, and practical hope.
Don dismantles the myths we’ve been taught about loneliness, reveals the societal structures that have quietly unraveled our sense of belonging, and shows us how connection can be rebuilt..
If you’ve ever felt invisible, disconnected, overwhelmed by the state of the world, or unsure how to create stronger relationships in your community, this episode is a grounding companion.
Get the full episode show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/the-loneliness-crisis/
Listen, Watch, and Go Deeper
All episode links—including my books You Matter, Luma, and Passion Struck, The Ignited Life Substack, YouTube channels, and Start Mattering apparel—are gathered here:
https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Download the companion workbook: The Connected Life Toolkit
Available now at TheIgnitedLife.net
Includes reflection prompts, community-building practices, and science-backed tools for strengthening meaningful relationships.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why loneliness is not an emotion but a biological survival signal
- The real reason half of Americans report feeling lonely (and why it’s not screens)
- Why kids and teens are the loneliest demographic in the U.S.
- How the decline of malls, walkable neighborhoods, and third places quietly rewired society
- Why feeling lonely in a crowd is normal and what your brain is trying to tell you
- How marginalized communities uniquely experience and overcome disconnection
- Why storytelling is a powerful tool for belonging and social change
- Practical steps you can take to rebuild connection
Support the Movement
Everyone deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.
Show it. Wear it. Live it.
https://StartMattering.com
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