How Do Communities Support People?
Now we’re four days into the coronavirus lockdown and it’s become apparent that we’re all in this together. Fear and social pressure seem to have done more to get people to self-isolate than any top down regulation. It’s also apparent that the longer people keep exposing themselves to risk, the longer we’ll all have to continue to “social distance.”
It’s amazing to see how as things unfold, my social media feed is filled with people stepping up and offering what help they can, whether it be organizing food runs for marginalized people, hosting online meditations, or posting information that could help those in need.
It’s also exemplifying how important it is—and could have been—to have a lot of these important systems and resources in place beforehand too.
As I think ahead to what the next 2-4+ weeks (or more!) could entail, it’s also making me appreciate just how valuable meaningful social connection can be. I feel very lucky to be living with somebody that I love and enjoy spending time with. It also makes me worry about my friends that live alone and how they’ll handle the isolation. I know I’m going to miss the presence of a lot of people as the weeks go on too.
I’m curious to hear other people’s thoughts. What do you see as the important elements of community that the coronavirus is bringing out? What can we do to help each other in the meantime? What do we need to remember about this time when we get back to our “normal routines”? What changes will we actually make?
Supporting thriving scientific environments | Creating products that bring people together and help them Get Outdoors (GO!)
4yMy Buy Nothing group created a separate group called Being Neighborly, and that is where folks have been going for help and community. It’s great and so much more positive than Nextdoor, for example.