Topic Guide
What Is Crying?
Crying is a subject covered in depth across 1 podcast episode in our database. Below you'll find key concepts, expert insights, and the top episodes to listen to — all distilled from hours of conversation by leading experts.
Key Concepts in Crying
The honor of sitting in the mud
This concept, articulated by Steven Bartlett, describes the profound privilege and joy that true friends and partners feel when they are allowed to be present and supportive during another's darkest, most vulnerable moments. By denying loved ones the chance to help when you are "in the mud," you deny them this honor.
What Experts Say About Crying
- 1.True friendship is characterized by identifying specific individuals you would instinctively call upon during your deepest struggles or when "really in the mud."
- 2.A genuine friend's response to your call for help is often not gratitude, but a strong affirmation, such as "I'd be mad if you didn't," indicating their desire to be present for you.
- 3.Withholding your struggles or emotional needs from close friends or partners can deny them the profound "opportunity, the joy, the honor of sitting in the mud with you."
- 4.Vulnerability, in the context of close relationships, is presented as a gift given to the other person, allowing them to demonstrate their care and support.