Chapter 29: Michael Harris on queer questions and the quest for quiet

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I flew to Vancouver, BC to chat with Michael Harris.

Loneliness rates have doubled since the 1980s and Vivek Murthy, former US Surgeon General, says loneliness will be the next major epidemic. So if loneliness is being alone and sad … then what’s being alone and happy?

Solitude.

Last year, I picked up an incredible book called Solitude by Michael Harris, bestselling author and winner of the Governor General's Award for his writing. It completely blew me away. Why? Because in our era of endless machine-gun blasts at our brains, I feel strongly that the ability to be alone, and to be alone well, is a muscle that is quickly atrophying.

Michael shares why we need to develop the strength and capacity to live and be by ourselves and how exactly we go about cultivating a rich interior life. I think after this conversation you’ll agree the benefits are enormous and this true “strength of mind” is a crucial aspect of living an intentional life.

For Chapter 29 of 3 Books, I flew to Michael’s home in Vancouver, BC. We discuss: How do we cultivate the area between wakefulness and sleep? What does a healthy media diet look like? Why shouldn’t you talk about anything serious over texts? And how do parents and children navigate the conversation about coming out of the closet?

Welcome to Chapter 29 with Michael Harris.

Listen to Chapter 29:

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What You'll Learn:

What’s the difference between solitude and loneliness?
How do you find love and intimacy in a world of pornography?
How can we help children become more self-sufficient?
Why can’t you improve your connection with other people until you improve your connection with yourself?
How can you prime your brain for creativity?
How can we learn to live more intentionally?
What is the gateway to help people get into different genres of books?
Why is it important to invite ‘weirdness’ into our cultural consumption?
Why should you never trust Netflix’s recommendations?
How can we avoid miscommunication with people online?
Should any books be banned from children, and should we censor content from kids?