In this raw and intellectually intimate conversation, Jeffrey James and Jenn McRae dive deep into the crisis of connection, exploring how transactional approaches to relationships are fueling a pandemic of loneliness. They examine how OnlyFans, AI companions, and other technological “solutions” reflect our collective failure to build and maintain the muscles of relationality in a culture that systematically undermines human connection.This conversation is part of an ongoing exploration of love ethics, relationality, and how we might rebuild our collective capacity for meaningful connection in an increasingly transactional world. It’s a passionate call to recognize that our loneliness crisis isn’t a technology problem—it’s a cultural one that demands we cultivate new ways of being together.

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00:01:01 Origin Story: When Jenn and Jeffrey First Met

Our hosts share their personal history, tracing back to their first encounter in 2011 at the “blue house” in Vancouver and how their relationship has evolved over 15 years from romantic partners to the deep friendship they share today.

05:40 From Partners to “Core People”: Evolution Beyond Traditional Labels

Jeffrey and Jenn discuss the limitations of the word “friend” to describe their relationship and reflect on how they’ve maintained a meaningful connection that transcends conventional relationship categories.

09:06 Fierce Abiding Love: Jeffrey’s Love Ethics

Jeffrey shares his philosophy of “fierce abiding love” – a practice of staying present through conflict, offering benefit of the doubt, and maintaining generosity of spirit even when relationships get challenging.

14:00 The Friendship Crisis Among Men

Jeffrey reveals a troubling pattern from his therapeutic practice: how many successful men have zero friends and no place to process difficult emotions outside their romantic partnerships.

18:15 The Loneliness Pandemic: A $400 Billion Problem

Jenn shares research on how loneliness affects one in six people globally, contributing to 100 deaths per hour and economic costs exceeding $400 billion annually in the US alone.

19:28 Transactional vs. Relational Engagement

The hosts explore how transactional approaches to human connection—whether with chatbots or other humans—create loneliness, while relational approaches activate our social engagement systems and promote wellbeing.

23:14 The Rat Park Experiment: Connection as Antidote to Addiction

Jeffrey uses the famous Rat Park experiment to illustrate how properly nourished social connections make us less susceptible to addictive behaviors, whether those are substances or technological “solutions” to loneliness.

26:37 A Future Worth Living In: Jeffrey’s Radical Imagination

In closing, Jeffrey shares his vision for a future worth living in—one with deeper connections, devotion to something larger than ourselves, and a commitment to being connected over being right.

***About the Hosts

Jenn McRae is a writer and transformation strategist practicing in Victoria, BC, Canada. jenniferangelamcrae.substack.comthepermissionlessprof.substack.comJeffrey James is a psychoterapist and soul guide practicing in Boulder, Colorado, USA. jeffreyjames.coachjeffreyjames676896.substack.com

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