talkin' 'bout Our Generation
talkin' 'bout Our Generation
This year "Independence" means something a bit
more serious than fireworks and parades.
Not since the early 1770's have we found our
rights and freedoms so seriously challenged.
We address that perilous threat in an updated version of
our George Washington episode. These are frightening, angry times,
but we see hope in the massive and peaceful "No Kings" protests,
where "We the People" showed a remarklable spirit of
community, civility, and solidarity.
Those are the Mission of OURGENPOD.
Listen to Episode 27, with a dramatic reading of
Washington's "Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior
in Company and Conversation"
(with some portions censored
by pesky mice).
The Science of Friendship
In our last episode, we heard from listeners what THEIR concept of friendship is. We heard a wide variety of definitions and experiences, but a common theme was that friendship is essential to health, happiness and a crucial cure to loneliness.
​
We learned in the Surgeon General's Advisory on Loneliness that this isolation has reached epidemic proportions in America, that we are more cut off from each other that ever before. He said,
"People began to tell me they felt isolated, invisible, and insignificant. Even when they couldn’t put their finger on the word “lonely,” time and time again, people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, from every corner of the country, would tell me, “I have to shoulder all of life’s burdens by myself,” or “if I disappear tomorrow, no one will even notice.”
​
That's tragic. And in troubled times, it's dangerous. As long as we feel alone, disconnected, and left out of the mainstream, the less likely we are to join hands and make our voices heard. Together, we stand, divided we fall. We need our friends.
​
Not only does loneliness weaken us as a citizenry, it is a threat to our health and longevity. The Surgeon General goes on:
"Loneliness is ... is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. "
​
We make such a big deal of Loneliness because it afflicts a huge number of older people in America; Us. A 2022 study found that when people were asked how close they felt to others emotionally, only 39% of adults in the U.S. said that they felt very connected to others. 1 in 3 of Americans 55+ feel isolated, lonely and on their own.
​
The antidote to loneliness, of course, is friendship. It's having people you can trust, enjoy being with, and who will be there for you when you are down. Gatherings of friends, laughing and sharing a meal or an experience, is a boost to us emotionally as well as physically. Simply put, friendship lets us live longer, more fulfilling lives.
​
We saw one solution to that in our episode on the Wallis Annenberg 'GENSPACE," We know there are solutions, so we are focusing a few episodes on this very important and overlooked topic.
​
As our country is simmering on the growing flames tourched by our current administration, friendship is more vital than ever. One good thing emerging from this conflagration is a new solidarity among neighbors, communities, and growing numbers of protesters inflamed by the shocking actions of ICE and every department of our government, with democracy all but dead, we continue to focus on friendship.
​
Our next episode, coming soon, consults with one of the world's top experts on Friendship, Dr. Rebecca Adams, Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina.​ She has published 58 research papers on Friendship, and has been one of the major movers and shakers in getting academia and government to look at Loneliness and Friendship as serious problems.​
​
Stay tuned.
​
Dr. Rebecca Adams
Great News!
We Won!!
OURGENPOD won the 2024 Discover Pods Award as Best Podcast
in the Society and Culture Category!
This is due in no small part to the support of our listeners.
THANK YOU to all of you who voted for us.
Notably, we came out on top of a crowded field.
More than 35,000 people voted.
​
"Participation and, especially, voting this year far outpaced our expectations," said James Griffin, Director of the awards. "This speaks volumes about the state of independent podcast creators in this community ... and the fantastic work that you are doing."
We are hopeful that winning this award will open new avenues of support, helping us continue our work on this award-winning podcast.
For now, we are continuing our series on FRIENDSHIP. It's a vital connection between like-minded people that will be increasingly important as we enter what is likely to be a contentious and fractious time. We'll be out with a new episode soon.
In the future, we intend to bring you new and exciting guests and topics to keep all of you involved and informed. If you have ideas for topics or guests, please, email us and let us know!
As many of you know, we have been producing this podcast on personal funds, which are dangerously scarce, putting OURGENPOD in jeopardy.
If we are going to be able to continue producing this "fantastic work."
We can'tdo it without a little help from our friends.
Until we are able to once again find a sponsor or sponsors for the podcast, we are relying on donations from you, our listeners, to help us keep this vital work going with your support.
If you are able, please make a financial contribution of any size to OURGENPOD. Rest assured that your gift is being put to good use with positive and solution-seeking dialogue, an endangered aspect of our national discourse. Donate HERE.
​
Again, thank all of you who voted for OURGENPOD! We did it!
Thank you!
​
​
​
Julian & Rob
Help Us Fight
the "Epidemic of Loneliness"
In these frightening and divisive times, many people -- especially those of us who are seniors -- are reluctant even to leave the house. We may have lost our spouse, old friends, and our family support network.
​
More than half of adults in America report feeling isolated and lonely.
​
That is "The Epidemic of Loneliness," and it it a serious threat not only to our mental health in depression and the absence of happiness, but also to our health and longevity.
The U.S. Surgeon General has issued an alert about "An Epidemic of Loneliness" silently spreading through our generation.
If you're not feeling lonely yourself,
you can bet you know someone who is. Experts say it's vital to overcome your hesitation and reach out. They may be feeling exactly like you. Give them a call!
We'll dive into this in detail in our upcoming episode on "The Science of Friendship" with Dr. Rebecca Adams. Meanwhile, fight your fears and reconnect with old friends, or make the effort to make new ones.
You could be saving their life, or yours.
Please lend a Hand!
You have probably noticed lately that our episodes are few and far between. This is because we are in serious financial trouble at OURGENPOD. The reasons behind this are complex -- but painfully real. We are spending all our time trying to raise money just to survive.
We're working hard to find a Major Sponsor who would cover the many costs of producing this podcast, and allow us to hire some much-needed staff, taking the load off just the two of us. But for now, we are still surviving on your donations.
We know our country is in a crisis, and many of us are focused on that. But, especially after winning the Discover Pods Award as the best podcast in the Society and Culture category, we feel we're doing important work worthy of your support.
Until we can find a sponsor, we are relying on your donations.
So, please DONATE and help us continue to produce the quality programming for which we have been recognized.
We hope you agree that OURGENPOD is a
cause worth supporting.
Thank You!
Our Heartfelt Thanks
Julian & Rob
A few accolades from our Guests & Listeners ...
"Julian and Rob provide such a great service for the 55 Plus demographic. It is so under-served with good, cool, hip information and opportunities, and they do just that.”
Michael Shrieve
Musician, Drummer for Santana at Woodstock ‘69
Member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Guest on Episode 9
"I love the last episode on friendship! I had been thinking about that very
topic after my mother passed recently; Who was there for me and who wasn’t and why.
​
"The Woodstock episodes were also interesting. Brought me back to my teen years and how my mother wouldn’t let me go with my neighbor! Imagine that!
​
"Best of luck with future podcasts!"
Silvia Gambardella
Subscriber
"I am so glad I had a chance to listen to your Thanksgiving episode - It was thoughtful and timely and personal - really nicely done, I thought. When have any of us really read the Mayflower Compact and reflected on its true meaning and what they wanted to achieve? Or considered the intolerable conditions on the voyage? Or that a woman's significance was simply as someone's spouse...? Or related their hope for their future with what they would think of the country today? Or what our ancestors would think of US?
"So much to think about."
Gail Zetter
Subscriber
“I just want to let you know that the most recent episode of the podcast really knocked it out of the park.Dr. Shrand’s cure for incivility is indeed an excellent prescription for some of what ails our society.
Julian’s interviewing skills are excellent. He truly LISTENS to his guests and responds with thoughtful examinations and questions. Your podcast is always enlightening and makes me stop and think about matters that underly the angst that many of us feel daily. Solutions to big problems are not easy to find. But episodes such as the one with Dr. Shrand and the earlier one with CATHERINE RYAN HYDE certainly gives us all food for thought. Keep up the good work, gentlemen. We, your audience is listening. And remember, kindness is contagious.”
Eric Seedman
Subscriber
The State of Civility in America Series
“Civility is a value I care about. It’s the heart and soul of the original “Pay It Forward” idea,and is a central theme in my other 43 novels as well. We hear a lot today about the decline of civility in America, but what I feel we need is a more positive approach. How can we do better?
​
​
​
​
"So I was honored to be the first guest on talkin’ ‘bout Our Generation’s’ series on “The State of Civility in America.” My interview with Host Julian Simmons was positive, friendly and thought-provoking, and I look forward to hearing future episodes. I believe this podcast is serving a very valuable service, the kind I envisioned when “the Pay It Forward Movement” first took hold. I encourage everyone to listen and lend their support to this timely and important podcast.”
Catherine Ryan Hyde
Author of the NYTimes Best-Selling Book,
“Pay It Forward”
Guest on Episode 11
"My readers often tell me that my characters make them think more about how we treat others, and how they can be a better person. Of course I’m thrilled if I can nudge my readers toward a kinder, more caring way of treating one another.
"I just want to say in support of your podcast ... the fact that you guys are taking on civility in a historic and liminal moment that has allowed rampant incivility to take over so much, I think what you're bringing to the conversation is important. And just as importantly, I think the fact that you are finding ways and finding people to come on to talk about civility is something that is fresh, because we're swimming in so much of its opposite and people will hear this and, and hopefully it will stimulate a movement to create civil spaces in our society."
​
​
Dr. Shepherd Siegel,
Author of "Tricking Power Into Performing Acts of Love"
and "Disruptive Play: The Trickster in Politics and Culture."
Guest on Episodes 14 & 16
“I just finished listening to podcasts three and four. Each podcast is getting better and better. It's great. Although not a hippie, my friends and I were all about the music in college. My kids cannot believe that I loved Hendrix and Santana as well as John Sebastian and Lovin’ Spoonful. There was a real sense of community and caring for one another, and caring for the earth as well. I clearly remember the very first Earth Day. Thank you for your efforts to promote community and a sense of camaraderie among us,Julian and Rob. This podcast reminds us how being gentle with each other is a good thing.
Thanks!”
Arlene Wong
Subscriber
Wow. I just finished the podcast with Carol Green and Richie Havens. I'm just leaving this message because I want the producers directors to understand how awesome it was for me to be taken back to that time. You know, peace, love, and freedom, which I hadn't thought about in so many years, it's kind of relevant to today. So, I'm feeling good. It reminded me that we can still hope and believe and have faith that it's all gonna turn out okay in the end. So, thanks. Looking forward to the next podcast!
Suzette Fowler
Subscriber