Why Talking to Strangers is Good for Us

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 16 July 2021

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Many of us spent the better part of the last pandemic year taking pains to minimize interactions with people outside our households or pods. With social venues now reopened, many vaccinated adults have the chance to meet new people and chat at length again — but do we remember how to talk to strangers? Journalist Joe Keohane joins us to remind us how and to explain why even small talk and passing interactions with those we don’t know can enhance happiness, cognitive functioning and our sense of belonging. We want to hear from you: Tell us about a memorable time that you connected with a stranger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for KQWED podcasts comes from Rancho LaPuerta, a wellness resort 45 minutes from San Diego.
0:07.2	Summer packages of three, four, or seven nights include hiking, mindfulness, and culinary adventures with farm-fresh ingredients.
0:15.0	Rancho LaPuerta.com.
0:16.9	Switch to Comcast Business Mobile and save hundreds a year in your wireless bill.
0:21.0	Comcast Business, powering possibilities.
0:23.5	Restrictions apply.
0:24.3	Comcast Business Internet required.
0:25.6	Comparates two unlimited intro lines and lowest price 5D plans of top three carriers.
0:28.6	Tax on fees extra, reduce speeds after 30 gigabytes of usage.
0:30.9	Data thresholds may vary.
0:33.2	From KQED.
0:35.9	Welcome back to Forum.
0:37.3	I'm Mina Kim.
0:38.3	Many of us spent the better part of the last pandemic year taking pains to avoid
0:43.3	illness by minimizing interactions with people outside of what our jobs or needs demanded.
0:50.3	But now with most venues reopened, many vaccinated adults have more chance to meet new people and chat at length again.
0:58.0	And journalist Joe Cahain says that's exactly what we should do.
1:02.5	His new book is The Power of Strangers, The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World.
1:09.7	Joe Cahain, welcome to Forum.
1:11.6	Thank you, Mina.
1:12.6	Thank you for having me on.
1:13.6	Well, glad to have you here.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.