Episode 242: “The Surgeon General Now Wants To Cure Your Loneliness: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” with Stella Morabito and Mark Tapscott

In one of our most talked about episodes, Stella Morabito came on the show in May to talk about her book The Weaponization of Loneliness: How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence, Divide, and Conquer.

We talked about a new kind tyranny creeping into American lives. Government, social media and a new kind of “ruling class” are increasingly working to control speech and behavior and isolating us from one another. This effort is intensifying and spreading throughout society’s institutions. 

“Isolation, and how rulers use it to control people, is really the greatest threat to freedom, no matter what level of tyranny it is,” explained Stella.

And now, as if right on cue, the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has released an advisory titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” It warns that social isolation is a major public health problem and that the federal government should both fund and direct local organizations to “strengthen social infrastructure in local communities.” The Orwellian advisory in effect warns that participation is mandatory if their plan is to work.

In Murthy’s report you’ll find no admission of the government’s key role in promoting anti-family, anti-faith, and anti-speech policies that drive people into social isolation, nor for its responsibility in brutally enforcing our isolation during its Covid era.

Also jumping into the federal government loneliness business is Democrat Senator Chris Murphy who has introduced a bill - the National Strategy for Social Connection Act - that would “create a federal office to combat the growing epidemic of American loneliness, develop anti-loneliness strategies, and foster best practices to promote social connection.” It would be housed in the Executive Office of the President reporting to Joe Biden. 

So the federal government, which just three years ago commanded Americans to “lock yourself up, don’t go to work, school, or church, cover your face, social distance, close your business, stay far away from other people, even your family” is now telling us it can solve the isolation and loneliness problem it created.

We’re living in insane times. 

To talk all this through I’m joined on this episode by two wise thinkers and counselors: Stella Morabito, again, and Mark Tapscott.

Stella Morabito, a senior contributor at The Federalist, writes extensively on the effects of propaganda, group think, censorship, and the cult mindset. Previously she was an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency specializing in Soviet politics, and communist media and propaganda.

Mark Tapscott is an award-winning veteran investigative journalist who covers Congress for The Epoch Times, and is the founding editor of HillFaith. Mark was admitted to the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame class of 2006, and he was named the Conservative Journalist of the Year in 2008 by CPAC.

There are many ways to combat isolation and cope with the problems of loneliness. As you might guess, we don’t think federal government agencies should be part of the solution. (Unless they simply get out of the way.)

Listen in.