S9E6: What Happened to You?

The Collective Table

“What prepares men for totalitarian domination in the non-totalitarian world is the fact that loneliness, once a borderline experience usually suffered in certain marginal social conditions like old age, has become an everyday experience …”
– Hannah Arendt

In this week’s episode, Claire and Jason listen back to a conversation with Rabbi Sharon Brous, who draws from Arendt’s ideas that loneliness and social isolation are essentially preconditions for totalitarianism. Together, they explore the crisis of loneliness, as well as rituals and practices which go against a current of individualism and competition.

Reflective Questions for Listeners:

• How do you see loneliness and social isolation contributing to extremist movements in our communities, country, and world?
• Who or what in your life is focused on connection, support, and working together? How does this push back against the culture of individualism, power struggles, and competition?
• What rituals challenge you to look someone in the eye and ask, what happened to you?

To hear the full original interview with Rabbi Brous, visit our archive here: https://the-collective-table.castos.com/episodes/rabbi-sharon-brous-the-amen-effect

Learn about KC Tenants here: https://kctenants.org/

Thank you for being a part of season 9! This season may be over but we have some incredible episodes coming your way soon, starting with Advent and moving into 2025. So don’t be a stranger, we will see you soon!

In the meantime, we want you to join the conversation. Leave us a voicemail at [phone] and let us know what is on your mind. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. Thank you for listening and we hope to hear from you soon!