About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of practicing hope through the lens of Depression-era gardens and features an interview with Rainn Wilson on loneliness and cynicism.

During the Great Depression, Detroit officials carved up vacant lots and handed exhausted families seeds and tools. It wasn't a hobby — it was survival. And a lesson for today: hope isn't just a feeling, it's a habit you practice. Then Rainn Wilson — yes, Dwight Schrute — joins Sharon to talk about the loneliness epidemic, the rise of cynicism, and why posting about something isn't the same as changing it. Be sure to read our newsletter at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join hundreds of thousands of readers who still believe understanding is an act of hope. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson (00:00:00) A story on how to practice hope (00:07:50) The loneliness epidemic (00:22:41) Rainn Wilson’s on his faith To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Rainn Wilson

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Detroit

More episodes of The Preamble

• Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 4 · April 27, 2026 · 34 min
• Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 3 · April 20, 2026 · 32 min
• Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 2 · April 13, 2026 · 41 min
• Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew, Episode 1 · April 6, 2026 · 48 min
• America at 250: Staying Hopeful, plus Saying No in a World That Demands Yes · March 23, 2026 · 45 min
• Welcome to Becoming You with Suzy Welch · March 19, 2026 · 2 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Preamble podcast page.