Loneliness and the power of connection | Vivek Murthy

If you are lonely, if you’ve ever been lonely, you are not alone. 

Loneliness is extraordinarily common. It is a universal part of the human experience – a natural signal like hunger or thirst that our body sends us when we lack something that we need for our survival, which is social connection. 

In this RSA Short, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy explains how we can get better at spotting the signs of loneliness in people around us, and the simple steps we can all take to building a more connected society, and a more connected life. 

• Speaker: Dr Vivek Murthy, 21st Surgeon General of the United States 
• Animation & Design: Jackie Lay and Diego Rodriguez
• Producers: Keeley Davies, Abi Stephenson

More RSA Shorts

Animations

How Big Tech betrayed us | Rana Foroohar

26 Jan 2021

How did tech firms, born out of an idealistic, innovative vision, become greedy, intrusive, and excessively powerful? Economic analyst Rana Foroohar reveals how Big Tech betrayed us by selling our data without sharing the wealth.

Animations

Is Our Attention for Sale? | James Williams

27 Aug 2020

In this thought-provoking new RSA Short, tech ethicist James Williams warns that digital distraction is no longer just a minor annoyance but a real and present threat to human freedom and autonomy.

Animations

Rebel, Upholder, Questioner, Obliger: which one are you? | Gretchen Rubin

25 Feb 2019

This animation shines a light on those quirks of our psychology that make it hard to change our (and other people’s!) behaviour. Bestselling author Gretchen Rubin explains the four personality ‘tendencies’ and their respective strengths and weaknesses.