From these connections, a new question arose: What is the psychological impact of sharing and receiving so many stories on these agents of social change? The work of activists (and in turn non-profits and other agencies that serve communities impacted by institutional inequities) is steeped with narratives of change, progress, and hope, but also struggle, trauma, and grief. Do the stories of success outweigh the stories of loss, or vice versa? 

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This element was inspired by an episode of the podcast, The Happiness Lab. In this episode called Mistakenly Seeking Solitude, host Dr. Laurie Santos describes the paradox in which people believe they want more automation in order to increase efficiency in our lives, and yet this perceived efficiency comes at the cost of human interaction. She interviews the originator of the American ATM, Don Wetzel, who stated his goal in the invention was saving people valuable time in a bank teller line; time that he hoped would be used to spend more quality time with loved ones. Surprisingly, Dr. Santos discovers that Don's wife has never used an ATM. Dorothy Wetzel, instead, loves socializing with strangers and sharing stories, and feels that this one-on-one interaction is a huge source of her happiness and well-being. 

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Because I view activist work as deeply reliant upon human interaction and sharing stories, a theory developed that those who engage in social change work generally have strong senses of fulfillment and purpose.