Right here’s one thing I by no means say out loud:
Whereas I really like being related to others, and I crave neighborhood in all its kinds… I additionally keep away from it, resist it, and can virtually at all times select a quiet night alone over anything.
What’s that?
It isn’t new. From what I can inform, social scientists have been worrying about social disconnection for at the least 700 years. This tells me that we feature a very outdated and actual want to be in neighborhood with one another… a want that’s usually stronger than the connections we make.
Lately, it’s onerous to not really feel like we’re all additional far aside.
It’s really easy to slide right into a digital world the place information comes from strangers and the place we will un-see individuals who annoy us with a fast click on. It’s really easy to get issues delivered as an alternative of standing in strains, or, once we are in these strains, to zone out on our telephones as an alternative of creating eye contact or small discuss.
And for many individuals, it’s crucial. Covid-19 isn’t over. We’re nonetheless figuring this out.
However I additionally know that being within the richness of many connections — digital and actual life — helps us develop and grow to be ourselves. It helps us construct resiliency. It helps us heal. It’s additionally proper on the coronary heart of a wholesome democracy.
We want one another. However we additionally resist it.
Sooo, Mari and I are operating a one-off writing session for anybody who desires to step into these questions. Questions like:
We’ll stroll the group by means of prompts to unearth a few of what’s below the floor, and share a little bit (if you would like, no strain!), and be collectively.
Will probably be on Zoom, pay-what-you-can, and a fundraiser — half the proceeds will go in the direction of rebuilding Black Field, a artistic and neighborhood hub in Igloolik, Nunavut that burned down on February twelfth of this yr.
