Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1544361
April/May 2026 | maconmagazine.com 75 A conversation with Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General and founder of The Together Project BY SUSANNAH COX MADDUX, WITH SUPPORT FROM ALI SULKO PHOTOS BY LEAH YETTER FOR MERCER UNIVERSITY I n February, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited Macon for a stop on his listening tour for The Together Project, funded by Knight Foundation. Murthy has focused on prioritizing social connection and community building in America since his first term as Surgeon General from 2014 to 2017. In his 2020 book, "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World," Murthy argued that loneliness is more than just an emotional state: it is a public health concern with significant impacts on physical health. According to Knight Foundation, addressing loneliness is a societal priority and Murthy calls on leaders in business, education, healthcare, and government to cultivate environments that support community and connection. The room at Robins Financial Capitol Theatre felt full, and his message was profound in its ❝A life full of accomplishments but lacking in relationships is not a happy life.❞ – Dr. Vivek Mur thy simplicity. The notion of the need for community isn't something new, but as I told Murthy in our interview, his work is rooted in teaching the need for community, not unlike advice from ancient Bhagavad Gita, Judeo-Christian, and Islamic texts. I thought: We've known this. We just forgot. It's not something new. But I think the power lies in his putting a name to what so many are experiencing in the context of our current culture. After his "powerful" talk, a word I heard in follow up with friends and colleagues, I had a stirring conversation with Murthy. "At this most basic level, I want us to recognize the power of human connection and community, and I want us to be able to prioritize that in our lives. I don't think anyone would argue that relationships aren't important," said Murthy. "But the question is, do we fully understand how important they are to our happiness, to our health, to education, to