The Missing Piece

Great Morning, Y'all!

Today, I want to share what I feel is the underlying problem humans are currently facing, as well as its simple solution.

THE RESEARCH

In the 1970s, psychologist Dr. Bruce Alexander studied how addiction relates to environment.

Here's what he quotes in the Psychiatric Times article:

Researchers had already proved that when rats were placed in a cage, all alone, with no other community of rats, and offered two water bottles-one filled with water and the other with heroin or cocaine-the rats would repetitively drink from the drug-laced bottles until they all overdosed and died.

Like pigeons pressing a pleasure lever, they were relentless, until their bodies and brains were overcome, and they died.

But Alexander wondered: is this about the drug or might it be related to the setting they were in?

To test his hypothesis, he put rats in “rat parks,” where they were among others and free to roam and play, to socialize and to have sex.

And they were given the same access to the same two types of drug laced bottles.

When inhabiting a “rat park,” they remarkably preferred the plain water. Even when they did imbibe from the drug-filled bottle, they did so intermittently, not obsessively, and never overdosed.

A social community beat the power of drugs.

If you'd like to read the full article, I'll link it again here.

But you’re telling me…

"A social community beat the power of drugs."

This is revolutionary.

This is the answer.

So if a community can solve addiction without the removal of drugs from the area...

Meaning, we won't need heavy enforcement or an invasion of our rights to eliminate drugs from our environment...

Rather, we can live in a way that removes any desire for drugs?

I assume the same emotions—fear, shame, guilt, and desire—that drive drug use,

are the same emotions people feel before committing a crime.

This suggests that building community could tackle substance abuse AND lower crime significantly.

It's been 50 years since this study was published.

Yes, I understand it was conducted on rats, not humans,

but perhaps we're more similar than we ever imagined.

When I came across this study and its conclusion of creating community,

not only made logical sense,

but it also felt right in my heart.

So I want to see this through.

LEADING THE WAVE

Elle and I often discuss what it takes to build communities nationwide.

We each run unique, free, in-person communities that have transformed lives.

People have found friends and future spouses while becoming more open-minded and heart-centered.

We've seen this impact thousands in Austin and San Francisco,

which boosts our optimism for these communities to positively impact lives nationwide.

One thing that Elle and I have noticed, something that separates the get-togethers that phase out quickly, versus the ones that build long-lasting community...

Is that community members should share values, not just interests.

I think it's great to start a run club, but we'll also attract people from all walks of life,

who just want to put in their headphones and feel a bit less alone while running.

Where other events,

values-based events,

that are intended to promote a certain type of conversation,

especially a deeper conversation,

will by far lead to a better connection with each other,

than running the same 8-minute mile pace as the person next to you.

Creating an environment with clear intentions,

having conversations in a loving, open-minded way,

will greatly enhance how people feel about these experiences.

We want to optimize our events for one thing...

Deep Conversations.

If we can promote that, we're set for life.

And I'm not talking about deep chats about the latest political news,

or how the weather this summer is better than it normally is,

but about real things going on in our lives.

Asking real questions, and receiving real answers.

We're yearning to feel human again.

The best way to feel human within ourselves is to see the humanity in others.

This is the path to transcending addictions and judgments towards our fellow neighbor.

It's the path to regaining our humanity.

CONCLUSION

Once this becomes our priority,

Elle and I aim to provide a blueprint for success to anyone ready and willing to bring people together.

Until then, I want to emphasize that our complex problems have simple solutions.

The answers have been right in front of our faces the whole time.

We need to remember how to be human again.

I have faith, even with how the world looks today, we will all become much more connected than ever before.

The future looks bright.

That's it for today.

I hope you enjoyed me throwing in a scientific study. I'll be doing more of those in the future.

I hope you know that you are loved and enough.

See you tomorrow,

I unconditionally love you all.

-Cameron Hogan