No, it's not just you — people really are, per a number of surveys, way less intelligent than they used to be.
  • Infynis@midwest.socialEnglish
    1·
    3 days ago

    …doesn’t it usually imply…something you have in common?

    Yes. That you live in the same area. You have the same elected representatives, you use the same public services, you shop at the same stores, you live with the same stakes. That’s why people say you need to get involved in your community. Whether or not you acknowledge it, you’re part of it

    Edit: to add, “community center” probably sounds old-fashioned to you, because of what they were talking about:

    it’s hard to get anyone to be willing to be remotely friendly or willing to admit that they are destroying the social fabric of their own Communities.

    Getting rid of places where you can engage with your community has been part of this effort. Community centers are run by local governments, and are often one of the first things conservatives try to cut

    • LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      11·
      3 hours ago

      That you live in the same area.

      But that’ happenstance. Literally thousands of randoms live in the same area. I’ve never seen the same person twice, and I’m sure they want to be left alone. Not really enough to start a conversation.

      You have the same elected representatives

      Pretty sure an average person has no idea who that is or what that means. Hell, I don’t know who that is for my area from a few months ago.

      you shop at the same stores

      That’s a bit of an assumption.

      you live with the same stakes

      I’m not even sure what you mean by that. We have almost nothing in common in our actual lives apart from living in the same city and area. Like, moving cities doesn’t substantially change anything about your life, you still do the things you do, work the job you work, know the people you know, etc etc.

      People don’t just strike up conversations with other people because they live in the same apartment block.

      That’s why people say you need to get involved in your community.

      I get that - what I don’t understand is how. And to answer that first I need to find this “community”.

      You say it’s not a website, but the only time I’ve ever seen anyone discuss something relevant to a local area was a Facebook community for that city, which was mostly boomers whining about gormless buskers in the suburbs or old people posting black and white photographs saying they are looking for someone they saw in a bar hundreds of miles away 40 years ago, like some kind of strange ARG.

      Whether or not you acknowledge it, you’re part of it

      I can acknowledge it all I want, it doesn’t matter if most other people aren’t aware of this supposed community we share, or of other people in general.

      I’m also a part of the cosmos but I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to a Martian either.

      Idk again on paper you say things that make sense and I could picture a fictional Lynchian village where neighbours talk to each other and greet each other and maybe even discuss their elected representatives or whatever if they’re tight-knit, but this just doesn’t match anything even close to my lived reality.

      I do appreciate the explanation though, thanks.

      • Infynis@midwest.socialEnglish
        1·
        3 hours ago

        If your community is poorly connected, help out! Host a block party, set up a book swap, there’s all kinds of options. That’s a big focus of our local 50501 community in Michigan: restoring the bonds that have been worn away over the years by capitalists.

        I strongly disagree with the majority of your last post though. It sounds like you’re determined to close your eyes and ears to the people around you