"The minister of loneliness" | Sarah Kay

The podcast features a spoken word performance by poet Sarah Kay, introduced by host Elise Hu. Sarah Kay's performance imagines a "Minister of Loneliness" in Japan, a position created in response to a rise in suicides during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes various whimsical and profound initiatives this minister might implement to foster connection and combat loneliness, such as a tin-can telephone system, a nationwide "buddy system," intergenerational living arrangements, and community-wide art and therapy programs. The narrative culminates in the minister's own personal connection, highlighting the universal human desire for connection and the joy of shared experience. The episode concludes with host Elise Hu providing production credits and information about TED's curation.