Kate Barber

We live in a world that’s easier than ever—and yet, many of us feel more disconnected than we know how to explain.

From a biological standpoint, this shouldn’t be surprising. The human brain evolved in small, interdependent groups where survival depended on being useful to one another. Our nervous systems still respond to the same signals: contribution, shared responsibility, and being relied upon. When those signals are present, brain chemistry shifts—stress hormones quiet, motivation rises, and a sense of safety settles in. When they’re missing, the brain reads it as a kind of threat, even if life looks comfortable on the surface.

Modern life offers convenience, independence, and endless choice—but very few roles where we are genuinely needed. As a result, many people feel anxious, restless, or numb without knowing why.

The Need to Be Needed uses science, lived experience, and honest reflection to explore that gap. It looks at how our tribal wiring collides with modern expectations, and why meaning often returns not through self-focus, but through connection, responsibility, and shared purpose.

This isn’t about going backward or rejecting modern life.

It’s about understanding the biology we carry with us—and building lives that work with it instead of against it.

If you’ve ever felt calm only when someone truly depended on you, there’s a reason for that. This space exists to explore it.