Local Community
All about irl community
Local Community
Humans have always known we cannot survive alone, and that to protect ourselves, we need to persuade others to care about us. We cultivate trusting reciprocal pacts with other people – blood relatives, but also friends and neighbours - through which reassure ourselves we can both care and be cared for, if the necessity strikes. These ties can have... See more
Beginning the work of civic renewal in localities rather than at the national level is an easier lift in part because Americans have more trust in democracy the closer it is to them. Sixty-six percent of respondents in a 2022 Pew survey reported a favorable view of their local government, and 54 percent did of their state government, compared to... See more
Top Down Democratic Decline vs. Bottom Up Civic Renewal: Eight Working Hypotheses
How cities can cultivate a sense of "membership" among their residents
Sam Presslerconnectivetissue.substack.com
One way to create a shared context is through shared struggle. This is why many organizations implement ritualized hazing3 to initiate new members, but the important thing is not the hazing, it’s the sense that you are working together with your fellow humans to achieve a super-human goal. Whether that’s to develop vaccines, to drywall a shelter,... See more
billmei.net • Friendships Form via Shared Context, Not Shared Activities
On the idea of “City Membership”
We invest in the physical infrastructure of our communities without hesitation. When roads and bridges crumble, we rebuild them. After harsh winters, we fill potholes. There’s no debate—it’s just what needs to be done.
It’s time we apply that same mindset to our social infrastructure. Just as we repair the roads that connect our neighborhoods and... See more
It’s time we apply that same mindset to our social infrastructure. Just as we repair the roads that connect our neighborhoods and... See more
Want to Bridge Divides? You’re Not Alone—Most Americans Do Too
"When you throw trash on the ground, you apparently don't see yourself as truly belonging in the world that you're walking around in. And when you fraudulently claim money from the government, you are ultimately stealing from your friends, family, and neighbors - or somebody else's friends, family, and neighbors" - Tribe, Sebastian Junger (p.112)
