MIND CAKE

The newsletter that's slightly more helpful than doing nothing

🍰 This week: The Crack Is A Repair

A few years ago, a Philadelphia Phillies fan made a social media post. He asked 45,000 fellow fans to do something that went against every instinct they had — to give a standing ovation to a player they'd been booing for months.

What happened next became a Netflix documentary. What happened before it — a breakdown, a mental institution, two parents who refused to give up on their son — that's what made it onto Mind Cake.

Jon McCann is one of those guests who arrives with a story you think you know and leaves you with one you weren't expecting.

— Lee

“ Sometimes being supported instead of being told you suck — sometimes you'll get good results if you support them" — Jon McCann

Jon McCann is a Philadelphia Phillies superfan, YouTuber and the man behind one of sport's most remarkable viral moments. He's also the subject of The Turnaround — a 25-minute Netflix documentary about what happens when a city famous for booing its own players decides to cheer instead.

But this episode isn't really about baseball.

It's about:

— A text message with the words "mental health" that changed everything.

— A breakdown in 2012, a marriage ending, and a stay in a mental institution.

— The unconditional love of two parents that kept Jon going when nothing else could.

— What decades of therapy actually teaches you about being human.

— Why Jon stopped watching the news ... and why he thinks the world is losing its humanity.

— Robot taxis, gaffer tape vigilantes, and driverless Ubers.

— And the Liberty Bell. Which, it turns out, is not what you think it is.

The crack is a repair. And sometimes that's the whole point.

🎧 Listen now — The Crack Is A Repair

🍪 Crumb of Wisdom

“ If society was more empathetic when people are going through a tough time, the world would be a beautiful place." — Jon McCann

🍰 Icing on the Mind Cake

📅 Dates & Walnut Slices

9th June — Mind Cake drops The Crack Is A Repair. With Jon McCann. As seen on Netflix. Set a reminder.

11th June — Making Your Mind Up Day Yes, that's apparently a real thing. Bucks Fizz would approve. Make one decision today you've been putting off.

15th June — Nature Photography Day Get outside. Look at something that isn't a screen. Jon would approve.

📌 Listener Mission

This week's gentle challenge:

→ Think of someone in your life who's been struggling. You don't have to fix it. Just show up. Jon's entire story started with choosing support over criticism at someone's lowest point.

→ Share this episode with a sports fan who thinks mental health podcasts aren't for them. This one might be.

🍰 Join the tribe. Share and Subscribe.

👋 Closing Bite

Thanks for being here. For listening, sharing, and letting us poke around the fascinating messy world inside your head.

Stay curious. Stay playful.

And in the words of Dr Jan — don't be a dick.

🍰 Mind Cake: not self-help… just slightly more helpful than doing nothing.

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