Books Insider: A conversation on the death of conversations
Author Vanessa Van Edwards discusses the 'connection crisis' in America and offers strategies for improving interpersonal communication in her new book. She emphasizes the importance of social risk-taking and moving beyond superficial small talk.
Why it matters
As digital interaction replaces face-to-face conversation, understanding how to build meaningful connections is increasingly relevant for mental health and social cohesion.
Jessica Pons for BI Books Insider is a regular feature from Dan Slater about the latest and best books in business and self improvement. Each month, through essays and interviews, Dan will introduce you to today's most fascinating authors. America is in the throes of a "silent epidemic: a connection crisis," writes best-selling author Vanessa Van Edwards. We're hanging out less . We're talking to chatbots and agents more than we talk to people. The share of US adults who say they have no close friends rose from 3% in 1990 to 12% in 2023. We've lost the subtle art of conversation. Van Edwards, who has more than a million followers on Instagram and runs an Austin-based behavioral research lab called Science of People, wants to help us reconnect.
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