In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of social connection and explore its critical role in our lives. We’ll unpack the three components that make up social connection and how they influence our health, wealth, and general well-being. We then tackle a hotly debated question: Is social media to blame for the loneliness epidemic? Or is it simply a tool that, when misused, amplifies existing issues? Using examples from history and modern technology, we’ll explore both the benefits and drawbacks of our hyper-connected digital world.

Plus, we answer audience questions from my Instagram (@travischappell), such as:

• How to keep in touch with a new friend without coming off as clingy?
• Why is making friends so difficult in your mid-30s?

Let’s dive into it!

Key Topics Covered:

1. What is Social Connection?

• Social connection is a dynamic, continuous spectrum, not a simple on/off switch.
• It evolves over time and changes due to factors like life events, health, job transitions, and more.
• We discuss how chronic loneliness and social isolation, even in our hyper-connected age, remain major health concerns.

1. The Impact of Technology on Social Connection:

• Technology plays a dual role: it can foster connection, especially for marginalized groups, but can also displace in-person interactions and lower the quality of social bonds.
• We dive into stats, like how Americans spend 6 hours a day on digital media and how social media use has exploded among both teens and adults.
• Benefits like online support groups versus downsides like distraction and increased loneliness are discussed.

1. Is Social Media the Culprit Behind Loneliness?

• Social media is an accelerant but not the root cause. Loneliness has been on the rise since long before the advent of social platforms.
• We draw comparisons to historical technological advancements, such as the steamboat and diesel engine, showing that each era faces challenges from new inventions.
• Instead of blaming technology, we discuss how we can rise to the challenge, much like past generations did.

1. Three Ways Social Media Influences Our Daily Lives:

• It affects how we connect, often replacing face-to-face time with virtual interactions.
• Social media can exacerbate the fear of missing out (FOMO) and contribute to feelings of inadequacy and isolation.
• It reshapes our communication habits, creating shorter attention spans and less meaningful conversations.

1. Listener Q&A:

• How to maintain excitement in new friendships without seeming overbearing.
• Why making friends becomes more challenging as we get older, especially when moving to new cities.

Key Quotes:

• "Is social media to blame for all of this? I don’t think so. But is it an accelerant? Absolutely. It’s gasoline on the fire."
• "We as humans are not built to go backwards. When new technology presents new problems, we find new ways to solve those problems."

Additional Resources:

• Douglas Brunt's book on Rudolf Diesel and the diesel engine – A fascinating dive into how past technological advancements solved problems and created new ones.
• Check out my Instagram (@travischappell) for Q&A submissions for future episodes!

Connect with Me:

• Instagram: @travischappell
• Book a 15-minute call with me: travischappell.com/chat

Logan Forsyth is a media scaling expert known for managing massive amounts of content and delivering impressive organic growth for clients. His company, Media Scaling, specializes in repurposing long-form content into high-quality short clips that can flood social media platforms, helping clients achieve significant visibility. Forsyth's team posts more than 26,000 pieces of content monthly, backed by a robust system of custom-built tools, including an API scraper to manage data from multiple platforms.

One of his most notable achievements is guaranteeing clients up to 150 million organic views within 90 days, a claim that has garnered attention within the digital marketing community. His approach includes leveraging AI tools like Opus clips, although he emphasizes the importance of human creativity, especially in areas like video editing and content customization. Forsyth's expertise extends to hiring strategies, building a team that currently includes 114 members ranging from data analysts to social media managers.

Connect with Travis:

Want to chat? Schedule a 15-minute call with Travis at travischappell.com/chat.

Sponsor Highlight:

Travis shares his go-to productivity boost—Magic Mind! Enjoy up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one-time purchases with code TRAVISC20 at magicmind.com/TRAVISC20.

In our next episode, join Travis for an insightful conversation with Logan Forsyth, co-founder of Media Scaling. Discover how his agency helps thought leaders achieve virality on social media and gain valuable insights into entrepreneurship and content creation.

Follow Travis on:

– IG 👉🏻 instagram.com/travischappell

– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

Welcome back to Travis Makes Friends! In today’s episode, Travis dives into the pressing issue of loneliness—a core reason for the show's existence. Despite being more connected than ever, studies reveal that loneliness is at an all-time high. Join Travis as he breaks down the findings from a recent Surgeon General’s report and discusses the profound impact loneliness has on mental, physical, and economic well-being.

Connect with Travis:

Want to chat? Schedule a 15-minute call with Travis at travischappell.com/chat.

Sponsor Highlight:

Travis shares his go-to productivity boost—Magic Mind! Enjoy up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one-time purchases with code TRAVISC20 at magicmind.com/TRAVISC20.

In our next episode, join Travis for an insightful conversation with Logan Forsyth, co-founder of Media Scaling. Discover how his agency helps thought leaders achieve virality on social media and gain valuable insights into entrepreneurship and content creation.

Follow Travis on:

– IG 👉🏻 instagram.com/travischappell

– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

Kat Timpf is a writer, comedian, and television personality. She’s currently the co-host of “Gutfeld!” on Fox News weeknights at 10 p.m. and a Fox News analyst. She’s also the author of the New York Times bestsellers "You Can’t Joke About That: Why Everything is Funny, Nothing is Sacred, and We’re All in This Together," and "I Used To Like You Until... (How Binary Thinking Divides Us)."

Kat is a prolific writer, having worked as a columnist for National Review for nearly six years. She’s also worked at Campus Reform, The Washington Times, Barstool Sports, and of course, Boston Market. She’s no stranger to the stage, either: The national tour of her comedy live show, “You Can’t Joke About That LIVE,” sold out in theaters all around the country.

Kat stands out in a sea of pundits because of her libertarian perspective and use of comedy and satire to get her no-nonsense points across – even landing her on Variety’s New Power of New York list in 2023. While she is steadfast in her strong libertarian beliefs, Kat is a firm believer in the power of conversations to bridge gaps, political or otherwise. Kat loves connecting with people across the country and around the world and talking about the things that are on everyone’s minds, but no one's lips. And she is sure to do so with a great deal of respect and humor.

She currently lives in New York City with her husband Cam, their dog Carl, and her cat Cheens.

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– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

In this video, we’re diving deep into the hidden gems of Sin City with the ultimate insider, VegasStarfish! From secret restaurants tucked away from the Strip to lesser-known spots that locals love, VegasStarfish shares her top recommendations for discovering a side of Vegas you never knew existed. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned local, this guide will give you a fresh perspective on Sin City!

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– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

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– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

Follow Travis on:

– IG 👉🏻 instagram.com/travischappell

– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

Joe Gatto is a comedian best known from the hit TV shows Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index.

Recently, he toured for two years with his stand-up solo show Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy, performing in sold-out theaters across the United States, Canada, and Australia. Before that, he toured with the Jokers’ live comedy show, performing to packed crowds worldwide, including at iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York and the O2 Arena in London.

Joe is passionate about supporting anti-bullying organizations and animal rescue initiatives. He advocates for the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” movement through his non-profit, Gatto Pups and Friends, which he founded in 2022. Based on Long Island, NY, this organization focuses mainly on senior and unwanted dogs.

He also hosts a popular comedy podcast called Two Cool Moms on the iHeart Radio Podcast Network, where he and his co-host offer motherly advice to fans who write in with their dilemmas.

Joe is an accomplished author with two titles: his self-published book The Dogfather: My Love of Dogs, Desserts and Growing Up Italian and his children's picture book Where’s Bearry? published by Penguin Random House.

Joe lives his life by a code of pastry and family, cherishing his two adorable children, and cannolis.

Follow Travis on:

– IG 👉🏻 instagram.com/travischappell

– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!

Josh grew up in Chester, Virginia, about 20 minutes south of Richmond off I-95. Sports and competition made a big impact in his early years. After being All-State in two sports, he accepted a football scholarship to play Linebacker at Shippensburg University. He still holds the career solo tackles record from starting all 4 years. Josh’s first job in hospitality was as a server and barback at Bottoms Up Pizza in Richmond, Va. Prior to PourMyBeer, he worked in Business Development with Modis, a publically traded IT Staffing Firm. He was hired to develop the Baltimore Metro market for the company. Landing several blue-chip accounts took that market from non-existent to a top producer in a matter of 24 months. One day in 2009, he decided he wanted to take a 95% pay cut, quit his job where he played golf 3 days a week, and invest his entire life savings in building a self-pour company. Yadda, yadda, yadda, here we are today after 3 significant chapters in business and life. To get the full story go to TapTheBigIdea.com

His wife, Janette (Pieczynski) Goodman, is in the Shippensburg University Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, holds the school record for career steals (not including Josh’s heart), and is a Marketing Director for Astellas Pharmaceuticals. They have 2 children, Tyler and Brianna, and live in Harleysville, Pa (30 minutes north of Philadelphia) with their Goldendoodle, Belle, and their bearded dragon Coco. Outside of PourMyBeer, Josh enjoys biking, snowboarding, basketball, pickleball, cornhole, grilling, hazy IPAs, and singing 90’s hip hop in his car by himself.

Follow Travis on:

– IG 👉🏻 instagram.com/travischappell

– FB 👉🏻 facebook.com/traviscchappell

– Twitter 👉🏻 twitter.com/traviscchappell

– Pinterest 👉🏻 pinterest.com/travischappellpod

Subscribe to Travis Makes Friends on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating!