Obviously this is a broad and controversial topic (especially since I’m asking about both on and offline) but as individualism and isolationism seems to be increasing in the western world, I’m wondering what can be done and what others have done to counteract this trend.
Edit: Obviously, there’s broad things like participating in hobby groups or being nice to neighbours, but I’m especially interested in discussion of specifics, such as ways to set up these groups, organisational structures, or ways to expand connections from a hobby group beyond just the hobby.
Get to know all your neighbors
We host a free cookout at the end of our block every week. Nothing fancy, hotdogs and smores, chips, beers, water, soda… Every time someone walks by we ask them, hey, want a hotdog? All kinds of folks show up – white middle class, punks, fellow queerios, Black and Latinx neighbors, kids, teenagers, sr citizens…
Sometimes we block off a section of the roundabout and play four-square
Absolutely the best thing I’ve seen for building relationships – community --within the few blocks radius.
No permits, zero affiliation with “open streets” (cop funded) or any other municipal grant.
The highlight of my week
I’ve had success doing this with cookies. I live in a rural area and I make the best cookies, and I hand them out to the neighbors when I see them.
One neighbor mows my lawn sometimes. Another one had me use my drone to help find a cow. Another neighbor gardens with my other half.