James Talarico

Disruption is an opportunity to do something.

I agree.

And so if we approach this when it happens, which I agree it's about to happen, and I don't think any of us are ready for it.

If we approach it as a technological problem or even an economic problem, I think we're missing the full picture here, because I do agree with you that it is primarily, first and foremost, a spiritual problem.

And what I do know about human beings is that all of us ask these questions.

What does it mean to be a human?

What is all this about?

Where is my life going?

Why are we all here?

Late at night, I can assure you, almost everybody has asked those big, deep questions.

That is essential to being a human being.

Whether you're religious or not, whether you're an atheist or not, we all do struggle with these ultimate questions.

And I think what's borne out over thousands of years of our species history is it's best to wrestle with those questions in community.

Yes, I agree.

Because right now, especially on my side of the aisle, where religion has declined tremendously,

among certain populations, there's this tendency of like, well, you know, I'm not religious, I'm spiritual, which I'm very open to people who say that, and I understand where they're coming from.

But you want to be careful that it is not private spirituality only, meaning that it's only something that you own that only impacts you and has no connection to other people.

I do think we've got to be a part of communities where we ask and struggle with these questions together.

It can look like a church or a mosque or a synagogue.

It can also be a book club, to be honest, right?