In a nutshell 🥜: The purpose of this community is to explore the dynamic of online social bonds.
Society is becoming increasingly digital as an effect of rapid globalization and the spread of COVID-19. A common challenge in lockdown is increased feelings of loneliness and a rise in psychopathologies, though this trend was prevalent even prior to 2020. Isolation—not just physical isolation but emotional isolation—is traumatizing for human beings. The brain codes it as danger. Anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and other mental health diagnoses have been on the rise for decades and lack of connection is a central factor. Digital interventions can (and have been proven to) help.
Majority of social networking sites are aimed at optimizing the quantity rather than quality of connections. This group’s mission was centered around rethinking online communities as a way to find more connection and fulfillment in our lives. There are countless mediums to find people with similar interests, but few frameworks on how to forge deep connections with the people you find. Finding a strong community is not just about how to find your people, but how to build trust, support, and connection with those people.
This digital garden is filled with analyses of existing communities, ideas for how to strengthen your community through tools and practices, and ideas about what the future of online communities could look like with a little imagination. We hope you enjoy your time on our corner of the internet!
👉 Directory of Topics