Happiness Expert on How Lockdowns, Social Media & Division Broke Our Brains

Arthur Brooks is a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and one of the world's leading authorities on human happiness. We discuss the psychogenic epidemic of meaninglessness, the three macronutrients of happiness, the striver's curse, and an ancient escape plan for modern life. READ MORE👉🏼 http://bit.ly/richroll977 ✌🏼🌱 – Rich This Episode Is Brought To You By… Prolon: Get 15% OFF plus a FREE bonus gift👉🏼https://www.prolonlife.com/richroll Squarespace: Use code RichRoll to save 10% off👉🏼https://bit.ly/squarespace2025 Freaks of Nature: High-performance everyday essentials–deodorant, sunscreen, hydration, and more. Use code RICHROLL to save 20%👉🏼https://bit.ly/FreaksofNatureRRP Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at👉🏼https://www.airbnb.com/host WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors👉🏼https://www.richroll.com/sponsors 00:00:00 Start 00:00:12 Intro 00:00:40 The Rise of Meaninglessness and Mental Health Issues 00:01:29 The Rise of Meaninglessness and Mental Health Issues 00:05:17 The Psychogenic Epidemic Explained 00:06:14 Who Is Most Affected? Young People and Strivers 00:07:18 Why Not All Young People Are Equally Affected 00:09:31 Left Brain vs. Right Brain: The Neuroscience of Meaning 00:11:36 The Simulation and Loss of Realness 00:13:16 Nature Deficit and Right Brain Deprivation 00:14:27 The Paradox of Boredom and Meaning 00:15:30 Complicated vs. Complex Problems 00:19:40 The Mystery Box and Living with Unanswered Questions 00:20:41 The Uniqueness of Human Questioning 00:23:10 The Doom Loop of Addiction and Technology 00:26:24 Moderating Technology Use: Three Strategies 00:33:01 Sponsor Break 00:37:41 Defining Meaning: Coherence, Purpose, Significance 00:38:47 Coherence: Making Sense of Life’s Events 00:48:42 Purpose: Goals and Progress, Not Just Achievement 00:53:39 Significance: Love and Connection 00:55:49 Giving Your Heart Away: The First Practical Step 00:58:21 The Doom Loop of Dating Apps and Paradox of Choice 01:02:13 Technology, Pornography, and the Erosion of Love 01:04:03 Addiction, Boredom, and the Need for Stillness 01:08:31 Sponsor Break 01:11:24 Accepting Love and the Striver’s Dilemma 01:24:59 Leisure as the Basis of Culture 01:27:59 Instrumentalizing Enjoyment and the Striver’s Trap 01:29:56 Chronic Seeking vs. Staying Still 01:32:47 Suffering as a Teacher and the Math of Suffering 01:39:38 Choosing to Invite Meaning 01:42:04 A Message for Parents 01:44:39 Modeling Meaning for the Next Generation 01:48:22 Transcendence: Looking Outward and Upward 01:54:20 The Dalai Lama’s Wisdom: Remembering the 8 Billion 01:56:25 Daily Practices for Meaning and Spirituality 02:00:17 Love as a Manifestation of the Divine 02:05:55 Meaning as Invitation, Not Direct Pursuit 02:06:29 Sponsor Break LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/rrpitunes Spotify: http://bit.ly/rrpspotify Google: http://bit.ly/rrpgooglepods Meal Planner: http://meals.richroll.com Voicing Change Book: http://richroll.com/vc Clips Channel:    / richrollpodcastclips   Newsletter: http://bit.ly/rollcallemail CONNECT WITH RICH ✩ Website - http://richroll.com​ ✩ Rich Roll Podcast - https://richroll.com/all-episodes/ ✩ Instagram -   / richroll   ✩ Twitter -   / richroll   ✩ Facebook -   / richrollfans   ✩ Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/14443... ✩ Memoir: Finding Ultra - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/f... ✩ Meals - http://meals.richroll.com​ ✩ Cook - The Plantpower Way - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/t... ✩ Italian! - The Plantpower Way: Italia - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/t... ✩ Support -   / richroll   Thanks To The Team: Jason Camiolo, Dan Drake, Morgan McRae, Blake Curtis, Desmond Loh * * * * NEW TO RICH? Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles: http://bit.ly/otillonyt http://bit.ly/vegansglam I LOVE MAIL! SEND IT HERE: 2630 Conejo Spectrum St. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 #richroll #richrollpodcast