
204. Human Connection and the Modern Loneliness Pandemic with Michael Trainer
From The Great Unlearn by Cal Callahan
May 12, 2026 · 1h 49m
About this episode
Michael Trainer discusses the loneliness pandemic and the importance of human connection.
Michael Trainer, author of Resonance: The Art and Science of Human Connection, illuminates one of the greatest pandemics of our time: loneliness. Michael shares his deeply healing journey with human connection after being jumped by a gang early in life and developing an intense fear of others — a wound that eventually became one of his greatest gifts in learning how to truly relate. In a world filled with technology and endless approximations of connection, we explore why loneliness is actually intensifying. We unpack the quality of online relationships, the importance of long-term connection, and the growing body of research showing that our happiness is deeply tied to the quality of our closest long-term relationships.
People in this episode
Host: Cal Callahan
Guest: Michael Trainer
Topics covered
- human connection
- loneliness
- mental health
- technology
- relationships
Keywords
- loneliness
- human connection
- mental health
- relationships
- technology
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Resonance: The Art and Science of Human Connection
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