Edward Shepard
@edwardshepard
Edward Shepard
You need shared contexts and shared interests. The reason why it’s difficult to make friends as an adult is because where there's shared context (seeing the same people over many months daily i.e. workplaces) there's a lack of shared interests. Where there's shared interest (hobby groups, bookclubs, etc) there's a lack of shared context. A place li... See more
In fact, social health is linked to a 50 percent boost in longevity, making it as important to our lifespan as avoiding smoking, tackling obesity, and regular exercise. We urgently need to prioritize and invest in social health
Give Your Social Health a Decent Workout
Structure makes community accessible, which is one reason we love the format of interest-based clubs. You already share an interest, curiosity, or goal in common, and it’s easier to create activities and events around those interests. Via everyones-lonely-but-no-one-can-hang out
Been thinking about this a lot recently. via The Collectress on IG: “Many people claim they want community while simultaneously imagining dystopia. I am here to tell you that the latter prevents you from accessing the tools needed to sustain community. Community is a byproduct of interdependence. Imagined dystopia betrays the relational agreements of interdependence, most notably trust.”
I want to be clear that feeling frightened and having moments of despair is valid. One doesn't need to maintain an absolute optimistic viewpoint to maintain interdependence. However, commitment to an inevitable dystopia in the future betrays collective efforts. Why would someone commit to building community with someone who claims their future will only amount to collective struggle?”
Dillon believes it’s too early to determine the potential market size, but says loneliness will “1,000 percent be a category investors put money into and that companies build,” she says. “It could be just as big as mental health, if not bigger.”
Chavie Lieber • Can You Solve Loneliness? These Startups Are Betting On It.
We can’t address the decline in empathy without addressing the decline in attention. Empathy requires a degree of sustained focus:
Paying attention to an experience someone is sharing
Recalling experiencing a similar emotional response
Sitting with your own and the other person’s inner state
When we are fragmented and distracted, we simply can... See more
Dr. Samaiya Mushtaqsubstack.comEvery thriving community organizes essential, repeating activities for its members.
Kai Elmer Sotto • Get Together: How to build a community with your people
According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a sense of belonging comes third after physiological and safety needs.