There was a time when I saw many of my clients at a community centre in Holyhead. While waiting for clients, the staff and members of the public visiting the centre would talk to me. They shared many things about the local area and the role of the centre in the local community.
One thing that quickly became apparent was that many of the visitors came from nearby places which were relatively cut off, with comparatively low population density. Also, many of the visitors were either elderly, infirm or lone parents with young children. In short, the centre seemed to offer an opportunity for the socially-isolated to connect with others. The clubs and activities they hosted were bringing people together.
I often hear that we have lost a sense of community. I know from experience that a lot of people feel lonely. I can only offer a personal view of why this might be the case.
The idea of a local community is quite obviously that it is based on location. A point that is often highlighted, in connection with this, is that we are far more mobile a society than we once were. Career and lifestyle choices can prompt individuals to leave a place. Of course, this makes them a new arrival at another place. Changes in circumstances lead to changes of location. The local community, in terms of those individuals present, is always changing. The opportunities to develop lasting connections are fewer.
Maybe this sense of the ever-changing nature of local communities has led to a greater connection with communities based on identity, rather than location. Modern technology has somewhat diminished the important of location in fostering a sense of connection anyway. The trouble with this is that the more we form communities based on identity, the less of a connection we feel with the variety of individuals in our locality. Unfortunately, this can limit our opportunities to interact with people we see as different, and ultimately deny us the opportunity to challenge any prejudice we might hold.
What I noticed during the coronavirus pandemic was that movements committed to creating hostility and division became much more vocal. For a while, those movements had been using technology to amplify their own voices and silence others. I've lost friends because of this. It's incredibly disturbing.
The more isolated you are, the more you will consume broadcast, print and social media. It's in the interests of those outlets, and their sponsors, that you feel isolated. It's in their interests that you see the vast majority as a hostile force working against your interests. So, those outlets will naturally promote the message of particular movements and aim to silence voices of dissent.
Ultimately, fostering a sense of local community is more difficult now. The more we focus on what makes us different, the less of a connection we will feel with others.
