Do you feel connected to the people in your community?
Does your town offer public spaces for people to meet and hang out? Do you wish it had more? What is your reaction to the Open Streets program’s goal to create stoops for visitors “to sit and stay awhile”? Would you want your community to adopt a similar plan? Why or why not? “I think New Yorkers love stoops,” said David Rockwell, who devised the new stoops for the program. “It’s a place where you can observe the theater of everyday life.” Where do those in your community gather to hang out or people-watch? Do you have any memorable experiences in these places? Does your community have many public spaces? How inviting are they? Do you use them often? Now it’s your turn: Propose an idea — big or small, practical or wildly imaginative — to bring your community’s residents closer together! Where do you find community and fulfillment outside of your homes?
I'm an introvert. And until very recently I've been a heavily overworked introvert.
My wife and I are mostly homebodies, but she finds that she gets a lot of fulfillment hanging out with her work friends at different social events. And while I plan on attending those events with her more frequently in the future as we've just got a pay bump that helps us more easily afford babysitters, I know it would be good for my mental health to find something that I can do outside of following my wife around and/or staying home with my kids.
One thing I've had a hard time with however is that the pandemic has really shook my ability to connect with people. I had a congregant tell me (an fairly at-risk person) that not all lives are worth saving and have seen multiple people who I cared for and respected become pretty horrible over the course of this pandemic.
Couple the pandemic stuff with the fact that I'm in my 30s and most of my friends are incredibly religious (which means most of us have little kids and pretty much self-isolate with our families as is. This is all to say I understand intellectually that I need a sense of community, but intellectually I'm still very hesitant and therefore farming the question out to you guys. What does the word "community" mean to you, and do you feel a part of one? What unique challenges do you face in your community?
It's Friday, so you know the drill. This week we'd like to set off the conversation on a more serious note. We'd like to hear some of the challenges unique to your community that you currently face, or have faced in the past.
What are some challenges that are unique to your community? How have you approached these challenges? Have you had any success? What gives you a sense of community?
Being part of a community or tribe is rare in modern society, which can lead to isolation. What do you do that makes you feel like part of a community? Hobbies, friends, events, etc My school has a small black student community and it seems like everyone knows each other and can relate with one another.
I feel like I cannot connect with them because I can’t relate with their experience. I feel like I don’t fit in because I am more reserved and introverted, quieter, am not into make up, really don’t put much effort into my hair, and I am just not one to speak up about my opinions unless asked.
I feel like I’ve lived my entire life in a kind of protective bubble kinda going about my life. If anyone has been racist towards me or was micro aggressive, I wasn’t aware because it wasn’t blatant and in my face. Now that I am in college, I’m only starting to see these issues more so through social media, and most likely a big part of it is the political climate that we are in.
I wanted to join the Black Student organization on my campus, but I quickly realized that I just don’t fit in that crowd. I don’t feel black enough.
Is there anything I can do so I can connect with more black people? It looks like more than just talking about advocacy, because I hear them discuss things they can relate to. Drama or some new album dropped by this artist.
Is it fine that I just don’t click so well with them? I mean, it’s not like I don’t talk with them or know them, I just can’t make instant friends like I see a lot of incoming freshman do with their black peers as soon as school starts. Is there something I can do about this? I know we live in the most "connected" time period of all time but I don't feel connected to my local community or anyone besides my girlfriend and close family for that matter. You can say that is alot to have but I really yearn for a sense of community of people working together to achieve goals or just living in a community that has things to do. I live in a town of 20000 people and there is absolutely nothing for anyone to do around here. The biggest thing we get is food festivals that are always cheap and low effort. I personally have tried to build an esports scene around town and no one has probably seen my advertising for 1. there are like only 3 community bulletin boards i know of within 3 cities and 2. social media advertising rarely works especially if you dont know people because posts are locked behind pay walls for traffic. The local Trading Card Game shop has a total of 14 followers on twitter and they do well enough to stay in business (not my thing). So its just very hard to get people together to do just about anything unless its geared towards 40 year olds+ and I just have a hard time of connecting with anyone, starting anything or making any impact in my local area. It's sad because I see potential and what it could be but instead no one cares and would just rather isolate themselves and look at their phones.
I'm an introvert. And until very recently I've been a heavily overworked introvert.
My wife and I are mostly homebodies, but she finds that she gets a lot of fulfillment hanging out with her work friends at different social events. And while I plan on attending those events with her more frequently in the future as we've just got a pay bump that helps us more easily afford babysitters, I know it would be good for my mental health to find something that I can do outside of following my wife around and/or staying home with my kids.
One thing I've had a hard time with however is that the pandemic has really shook my ability to connect with people. I had a congregant tell me (an fairly at-risk person) that not all lives are worth saving and have seen multiple people who I cared for and respected become pretty horrible over the course of this pandemic.
Couple the pandemic stuff with the fact that I'm in my 30s and most of my friends are incredibly religious (which means most of us have little kids and pretty much self-isolate with our families as is. This is all to say I understand intellectually that I need a sense of community, but intellectually I'm still very hesitant and therefore farming the question out to you guys. What does the word "community" mean to you, and do you feel a part of one? What unique challenges do you face in your community?
It's Friday, so you know the drill. This week we'd like to set off the conversation on a more serious note. We'd like to hear some of the challenges unique to your community that you currently face, or have faced in the past.
What are some challenges that are unique to your community? How have you approached these challenges? Have you had any success? What gives you a sense of community?
Being part of a community or tribe is rare in modern society, which can lead to isolation. What do you do that makes you feel like part of a community? Hobbies, friends, events, etc My school has a small black student community and it seems like everyone knows each other and can relate with one another.
I feel like I cannot connect with them because I can’t relate with their experience. I feel like I don’t fit in because I am more reserved and introverted, quieter, am not into make up, really don’t put much effort into my hair, and I am just not one to speak up about my opinions unless asked.
I feel like I’ve lived my entire life in a kind of protective bubble kinda going about my life. If anyone has been racist towards me or was micro aggressive, I wasn’t aware because it wasn’t blatant and in my face. Now that I am in college, I’m only starting to see these issues more so through social media, and most likely a big part of it is the political climate that we are in.
I wanted to join the Black Student organization on my campus, but I quickly realized that I just don’t fit in that crowd. I don’t feel black enough.
Is there anything I can do so I can connect with more black people? It looks like more than just talking about advocacy, because I hear them discuss things they can relate to. Drama or some new album dropped by this artist.
Is it fine that I just don’t click so well with them? I mean, it’s not like I don’t talk with them or know them, I just can’t make instant friends like I see a lot of incoming freshman do with their black peers as soon as school starts. Is there something I can do about this? I know we live in the most "connected" time period of all time but I don't feel connected to my local community or anyone besides my girlfriend and close family for that matter. You can say that is alot to have but I really yearn for a sense of community of people working together to achieve goals or just living in a community that has things to do. I live in a town of 20000 people and there is absolutely nothing for anyone to do around here. The biggest thing we get is food festivals that are always cheap and low effort. I personally have tried to build an esports scene around town and no one has probably seen my advertising for 1. there are like only 3 community bulletin boards i know of within 3 cities and 2. social media advertising rarely works especially if you dont know people because posts are locked behind pay walls for traffic. The local Trading Card Game shop has a total of 14 followers on twitter and they do well enough to stay in business (not my thing). So its just very hard to get people together to do just about anything unless its geared towards 40 year olds+ and I just have a hard time of connecting with anyone, starting anything or making any impact in my local area. It's sad because I see potential and what it could be but instead no one cares and would just rather isolate themselves and look at their phones.
