Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: The Smerconish Podcast
Episode: The Case for Volunteering as a Cure for Loneliness
Description: Why are fewer Americans volunteering—and why does it matter?
Michael digs into new data showing a long-term decline in volunteerism, echoing warnings first raised by Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone. Joined by Wall Street Journal opinion editor Mary Julia Koch, Michael explores how civic engagement has shifted toward episodic, virtual, and performative activism—and what we’ve lost as a result.
They discuss generational trends, loneliness, the rise of online substitutes for real connection, and why volunteering doesn’t just help communities—it strengthens the people who do it. From tutoring students to mentoring veterans, listeners across the country share how...