The OTHER Significant Others | A Bit of Optimism #Podcast

7 Dec 2025 · 0 min

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A short transcript excerpt from the podcast episode "The OTHER Significant Others | A Bit of Optimism #Podcast" (May 1, 2024) featuring Simon Sinek and Rhaina Cohen. They discuss the value and emotional depth of non-romantic friendships, argue that society often defines "relationship" narrowly as romantic/sexual partnership, and critique the success/failure framing that pressures people toward romantic coupling. Simon offers a personal testimony that intense emotional intimacy in friendships can be as satisfying as, or more so than, many marriages.

You know, I've been single a lot of my life, and people have criticized me for it. I have a friend who's single. We have a friendship that, without sex, is akin to some people's marriages, and I would say better than some people's marriages.
The term relationship now has been monopolized by romantic relationships, where your romantic partner, your spouse, is supposed to be your confidant and your lover and your best friend. That's what you're driving toward, and otherwise it's a failure. And this sort of success failure dichotomy, rather than starting from a place of curiosity of, like, who do we want to be to each other.
I found great relief and catharsis in reading your work that there's nothing wrong with me, and I find the intense emotional intimacy from some of my friendships satisfying. And shouldn't that be enough?