For a society to even exist, there must be a social fabric, a common thread that ties it all together.
The very word society is a derivative of the word social.
And humans, by their very nature, are social.
It’s how you’re built, to cooperate with others.
To share, to Love, to belong.
To reinforce your identity through your interaction with others who seemingly share a similar story – a common narrative, similar values.
But the rise of the individual has given us a distorted definition of freedom.
A definition that seems to value individual pursuits over collective ones.
It’s no wonder people are feeling increasingly isolated
It’s no wonder loneliness is becoming an epidemic
So what then is this social fabric, what is it that ties us all together?
Communities are built on shared needs, shared values, shared interests
In having a common purpose and on the ethos of reciprocity.
The Family
The family then is the most basic unit of measure in any society.
It’s the default social glue, and when it begins to unravel, societies begin to crumble.
There’s no denying that the family is where life ultimately begins.
It’s the most basic of social institutions, the foundational structure of a society.
But the very definition of the family has largely changed
It is no longer clear
And this ambiguity around what constitutes a family continues to contribute to the dissolution of it.
Community and Culture
The natural extension of the family is the community.
People congregating around geography
Around common values, common interests and a common language.
The rates of urbanization are the highest they’ve ever been
Making it increasingly unlikely that you’ll be around those with whom you grew up with
Tearing communities apart, or shifting them to a virtual space.
Further weakening the bonds.
How many of your neighbors do you know by name?
Perspective
So what then do we do about all this?
Societies seem to be more concerned with paying bills and servicing debts
Self-preservation has become the central mantra
We can’t rely on each other any more.
This is not how it was ever meant to be.
But it’s never too late to start again,
To re-establish the bonds
To go back to basics, and reconnect with your roots
To know your people and invest in being close to them.
Back to basics, how it all began, and how it’s always meant to be.
