On Our Minds Only? Episode 003: RELEVANCY with David Zaritsky @thebondexperience

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“At the core of a lot of depression is feeling like you don't have any meaning.” - David Zaritsky

David Zaritsky and David Lowbridge-Ellis candidly explore the dark side and light side of relevancy within the Bond community. (Yes, there are also Star Wars references.)

When we feel relevant, we get a natural hit of dopamine. But this can become dangerously addictive; creating content with the sole goal of gaining followers and likes can wreak havoc on our mental health.

David Z gets personal about how he has lost friends because they could not stop comparing their own relevance with other people’s. David L-E reveals how he strives to find meaning in himself, rather than by seeking affirmation from others.

This is a very personal conversation in which both Davids discuss how to navigate this tricky territory. The hope is that by sharing it publicly they will help others.

As David Z says here, when it comes to mental health, “There’s a real need to understand the why of what is happening.”

It’s tribal. Although some talk about the Bond Community as if it’s a place where everyone agrees with each other, in reality it consists of many subgroups. And while most Bond fans are positive voices, bringing diverse points of view and supporting others with positive affirmation, a few sadly pursue relevancy by propagating negativity, attempting to tear down those who they are jealous of.

The Davids hone in on their shared why: if it’s not followers and likes, what does motivate them to continue doing what they do?

Finally, David Z has some very practical advice for people who might be struggling with the issues raised in this video.

About the ‘On Our Minds Only?’ series:

Mental health is not discussed enough, despite it being an important element of the 007 stories. In this series, David talks very openly about mental health with members of the Bond community. He has a theory: these are the sorts of things on many of our minds but we often struggle to put them into words. Maybe we can change that?