Can digital connections lead to a real life community?
A recent brief that landed on our desk has got us asking this question of ourselves. Does the term ‘community’ in its traditional sense, work in a digital world? This project’s objectives are to build a space for real world networks to get together online, to communicate, plan and share - but ultimately, and somewhat counter intuitively, the goal is to get everyone offline. To build a platform that asks little of you, with a light touch, allowing you to obtain the information you need, feel connected and up to date with your local community, and encourage and support real life meet ups and connections. Can a digital product help not only connect but also disconnect?
What has happened to our communities?
Didn't it feel oddly wonderful, that during the dark days of 2020/21 something magical seemed to emerge - the long-lost art of community? Suddenly, locked in our homes, unable to see family and friends, on our one-hour daily stomp around the block, our neighbours became our kin. We felt a connection and comradery and found ourselves worrying about old George at number 14, wanting to make sure he had food and everything he needed (up until now, you didn't know many of your neighbours names, let alone worry about them).
How alien it felt, yet this is how communities had always been. Why not now? You would ask your neighbour for an ingredient you didn't have, you would give them a spare key, you'd watch their children, and offer to pop the shops and invite them over for Christmas drinks - but recently we have closed our doors, and lived in our bubbles alone.
Social media has changed society immeasurably. What was once a physical community is instead online - we connect with strangers, celebrities, and brands rather than neighbours. (Yes, I think there is some good in this - having a wider net of a network, but at what cost? Where is the balance?) It's also a time thief, so when we're too busy watching videos, liking posts, and sharing reels, we barely have time to look up and wave at Sarah as she's walking the dogs past the front garden.
Business is also a big problem. We live such jam-packed lives, we have little time to think of anyone else. We already struggle to juggle a career, a social life, and family life, so putting time and effort into a community of relative strangers - is very much at the bottom of the list.
Yet, we are social beings. We have lived in communities, and been raised, educated, and loved by others for hundreds of years. We're meant to feel part of something bigger than ourselves, we are meant to look after each other.
Personally, we find ourselves wanting to step away from our phones and devices more and more, but do we live in a world where this is possible? Could we run a business without it? Would we have a social life without it? Would we access the information we need? As many platforms look to fight for your attention, pulling you in to spend longer and longer in their space - is the answer the opposite? Will we start to reject the time-hungry apps, and instead look to use those that are quick, simple, and functional (for example, BeReal) - making tasks quicker, and connections faster allowing us TIME to actually step back into the real world, and spend it with actual people? Wasn't this the dream that 'Back to the Future' sold us? Shouldn't technology be making our lives easier, so we all have MORE time, not less?