Friends on Purpose

Friends on Purpose
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Friends on Purpose is a conversational podcast about the strange, funny, and surprisingly meaningful experience of being a person. Through personal stories, curious questions, games, thought experiments, and plenty of tangents, Eric and Elaine explore the things that shape how we see ourselves and the world around us—from childhood memories, movies, humor, and friendship to identity, belonging, purpose, and the mysteries of being alive. The show isn’t about giving advice or arriving at definitive answers. It’s about two friends taking ordinary subjects seriously enough to discover something unexpected in them, while never taking themselves too seriously along the way. At its heart, Friends on Purpose is about life, love, and finding purpose—not by pretending to have it all figured out, but by being curious enough to keep talking about it.

  1. 2d ago

    A Novel Kind of Healing

    What if the books you’ve been told are “guilty pleasures” are actually good for you? This week, Emily joins us as our resident smut expert to explain how romance novels can reduce stress, build emotional resilience, and even help readers reclaim parts of themselves after trauma or purity culture. Along the way, we explore popular subgenres, beloved tropes, the five-chili-pepper spice scale, and why a happy ending is nonnegotiable. We also discover that demons may be misunderstood, stalkers can apparently be romantic, and four sentient wheels of cheese deserve love too. Come for the smut, stay for the character development.

    A Novel Kind of Healing

  2. Aug 10

    Man's Best Friend on Purpose

    What if you’re not a dog person simply because you haven’t met the right dog yet? Fresh from the Smarty Pants Party, Eric and Elaine welcome winning presenter Sarah to explore the remarkable bond between dogs and humans, a relationship shaped over tens of thousands of years. From ancient burials and puppy eyebrows to emotional support and dog voices, they uncover how deeply our two species have evolved alongside each other. Along the way, Eric confronts his own complicated history with dogs and wonders whether there might still be a four-legged friend in his future.

    Man's Best Friend on Purpose

  3. Aug 3

    The One About Friendship

    What if friendship isn’t just good for you, but something your brain actually needs? Eric and Elaine explore the surprising science of friendship, from how holding a trusted hand can quiet the brain’s threat response to why happiness can spread through three degrees of separation. They also examine the physical toll of complicated relationships, how many hours it takes to make a real friend, and why quality matters more than quantity. Along the way, they reflect on their own friendship and discover that being friends on purpose might actually help keep us alive.

    The One About Friendship

  4. Jul 27

    The Body Keeps the Weird

    What if your body knows more about you than you do? Eric and Elaine dive back into the metaphysical to explore gut feelings, out-of-body experiences, the placebo effect, and the unsettling possibility that the mind has far more influence over the body than we understand. Along the way, they attempt to locate their souls, test how well they can sense their own heartbeats, and once again wander confidently into scientific territory they are wildly unqualified to explain. Beneath all the weirdness is a bigger question: in a world that seems determined to explain everything, have we lost something by forgetting how to wonder? Maybe not knowing is the whole point. Books mentioned: The Holographic Universe: The Revolutionary Theory of Reality By Michael Talbot Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power Carolyn Elliott

    The Body Keeps the Weird

  5. Jul 20

    Uphill Both Ways

    When was the last time an ordinary afternoon felt like an adventure? This week, Eric and Elaine head back to the good old days to revisit the fields, forts, blankies, dead bunnies, and questionable adventures that became part of their personal lore. Along the way, they explore why ordinary places felt like entire worlds, the strange things we believed as kids, and how memory turns everyday moments into mythology. Because the older we get, the longer the walk becomes...and somehow, it was uphill both ways.

    Uphill Both Ways

  6. Jul 13

    Past Forward

    What does an ancient Greek computer have in common with a Scottish bagpipe? This week, Eric and Elaine become amateur historians and present TED Talk-style deep dives into two remarkable inventions: the Great Highland Bagpipe and the mysterious Antikythera Mechanism. From battlefield communication to predicting eclipses, these inventions reveal just how clever, creative, and surprisingly familiar our ancestors really were. Turns out history isn't so much about the past as it is about the people who refuse to stop tinkering. Vocab Owl Quiz: https://vocabowl-870366514258.us-west1.run.app/

    Past Forward

  7. Jul 6

    Be Kind, Rewind

    If someone wanted to understand who you are, which five movies would you hand them? In this episode, Eric and Elaine revisit the films that shaped them and uncover the surprising ways those stories influenced who they became. Along the way, they swap VHS memories, debate overrated classics, share movie-inspired life lessons, and discover that sometimes a favorite film is really an origin story in disguise. Plus: movie-themed Frivia, celebrity listener sightings, and an unexpected amount of discussion about Titanic.

    Be Kind, Rewind

  8. Jun 29

    Jest Friends

    Why is it that the funniest things are often the hardest to explain? This week, Eric and Elaine dive into the science, psychology, and sheer absurdity of humor, exploring everything from childhood laughter to the inside jokes that become their own language. Along the way, they share embarrassing stories, favorite comedy influences, and a few theories about why awkwardness is often comedy gold. It's a conversation about finding the funny in everyday life, and why laughing together might be one of the best parts of friendship.

    Jest Friends
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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Friends on Purpose is a conversational podcast about the strange, funny, and surprisingly meaningful experience of being a person. Through personal stories, curious questions, games, thought experiments, and plenty of tangents, Eric and Elaine explore the things that shape how we see ourselves and the world around us—from childhood memories, movies, humor, and friendship to identity, belonging, purpose, and the mysteries of being alive. The show isn’t about giving advice or arriving at definitive answers. It’s about two friends taking ordinary subjects seriously enough to discover something unexpected in them, while never taking themselves too seriously along the way. At its heart, Friends on Purpose is about life, love, and finding purpose—not by pretending to have it all figured out, but by being curious enough to keep talking about it.

Information

  • Creator
    Friends on Purpose
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Friends on Purpose
  • Show Website
    Friends on Purpose

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