Only the lonely ....

The issue of lonely 21^st century keeps rearing its head up. With some media focus being placed upon the UK being cited as one of loneliest places in Europe (and the world?). Reasons ranging from death oflong time spouse to workplace isolation or moving to a new town and not fitting in. What is apparent is loneliness is ever evident. So where do we go from here?

In isolation comes strength:

How did we get here? ‘Death of community’ in the 1980’s and 1990’s? Where do we go from here? One the reasons loneliness occurs is many good individuals choose not to stand with the negative facets of their families, friends, communities (children who refused to join gangs, students who choose not to join in with sexist activities, professionals who deny the gossip networks etc.) yet just because they lean away from the bad things – it does not necessarily mean they have anything positive to lean towards.

Perhaps the internet was cited as anew outreach phenomenon with the invention of blogging and chat rooms, net meets in the 1990’s; yet the internet can be a double edge sword as we become distracted with so many things that take up our time – often sending us down the wrong pathway.

Efforts to re-engage the lonely?

Everyone is aware that data canbe integrated into mapping systems to highlight regional/district variations. Authorities are then expected to ‘do something’ when the weaker variations are identified. What can local government do?

What about individual choices? Half of adults many define that they are lonely; many people are undertakingvolunteering and it contributes significantly to local communities and wider society particularly in a period of mass austerity.

Volunteering is not just about helping others (elderly, disabled, schools, youth centres etc.) or helping the natural environment or built environment – it’s an opportunity to engage other volunteers and this can lead to new social bonds. Common interest can be found – finding a local volunteer group will help battle your isolation and integrate you into a wider social/professional network of people.

With all the efforts going towards micro-sociality; in times where you may not know your neighbour – reach out to your street. Ask them if they have an opinion on local issues? You may be surprised by the responses …. Once correlated the street, and the larger community can begin working together.

What can you do? Engage your locality - bring people together!

Will the economics ever really work ....

What if economics were all wrong? The system that defines us financially giving us materialism we could do without, causing unnecessary problems of deviant level competitiveness in the workplace of dog-eat-dog world dominance where business shortfalls turn into substantial lies and PR campaigns which just will not effectively deliver on the long term … with an end result of destroying our true livelihoods and community resilience?

The NEF (New Economics Foundation) has reported recently that thirty international universities have signed up to a campaign for economic reform; rebuking the existing one of neoclassic economic theory.

The current neoclassic model of economics has proven to cause boom and bust consistently over the last century to the present financial crisis; with many suffering the negative side of economic inequality and a minority retaining all the power and the wealth.

Maximizing profits and gains, minimising inputs which the majority of the time comes at great cost of compromised ethics, higher standards, good work practise and transparency. What a country in the richer north may deem appropriate may be seriously compromising for another country in the poorer south.

As India and China begin to pick up the pace on becoming the world’s stronger economies; will they make all the same mistakes that Europe and North American have undertaken the last 100 - 150 years with its negative reciprocating effects upon the rest of the planet socially, economically and environmentally.

With austerity measures being put in place in many countries, a real emphasis has emerged upon civil/community responsibility where now the general public are expected to pick up the slack which before many took for granted as local authorities tasks (pick up litter, clean up graffiti, clean the autumn leaves away, dealing with local trouble-makers through calm communication, networking up a more localised economy.)  What if a new economic theory could come from all these activities and how it ties a community together and makes it more functional?

As we make fundamental shifts towards real localism on a rural and dense urban level (streets clubbing together within districts, within local authorities, within city boundaries within counties, within countries etc. etc.) results in communities will simply hve to make more localised connections in order to progress in an appropriate manner where society can function properly and effectively without health compromise, greed, crime and overall poor wellbeing being supported.

Economics of neoclassical variety take a stance where one size fits all countries economics systems appropriately. It may be a more appropriate economic system is designed for specific localities: will one system of economics based on a small level of only ten thousand people in a dessert arid region be appropriate to transfer to a very different location five thousand people in a lush mountainous region.

Is an international economy really going to ever work? With the 2008 financial crisis sat on the back of the 2007 credit crunch, sat on the back of a booming early to mid-2000’s global economy – where risks were being taken by banks, lenders and other entities – yet when the USA economy sneezed the entire planet economical system caught the proverbial cold.

Is economic localisation the real step forward? Can theories of economics be revised an new models created based on local geography, local resources, local real needs (not wants) which may support a more efficient agricultural system (food miles significantly reduced) providing healthier food first for the locality of half a million people, with emphasis on appropriate taxes and incentives to help people live healthier lifestyles and not a ticking time bomb of our expanding global obesity problem, failing medicines against the superbug, chronic inequality between the districts, counties, countries and international borders.

What economic model will be best? The new eco-local-nomics model?

What is micro-sociality? How will this be a saviour as we head into challenging years of austerity and social difficulties?

With all countries Governments forced to make cutbacks and all services are reduced in this period of austerity the public will be expected to contribute to their locality. In many respects communities will pick up where we were a century ago where the locals would clean the streets of leaves in autumn or clear the snow during winter. There were few public services then to look after the elderly as many families functioned in a generational capacity often with three generations being under one roof.

So what is micro-sociality?

It defines micro sociality as all or any interactionbetween people; something as small as smiling at people you recognise from frequent sightings but do not know, to groups working for common goals like acommunity centre, to the various behaviours of the state through formal and informal interaction (Studdert and Walkerdine) The School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University hosted a conference on ‘micro-sociality’ on Monday 14^th April.

Several large organisations have funded research into micro-sociality as the onus dawns on a deeper emphasis on localism and empowering communities to be able to deal with their daily challenges as they see fit from a bottom-up approach and not following a top-down authoritative approach.

As so many small problems are being tackled now by locals who have given up waiting on the councils, third sector or other entities – many voluntary groups, or neighbourhoods have begun taking action into their own hands to rise to the challenges of constant problems.

One example is individuals who have begun cleaning up entire streets on their own, or the creation of community gardens or river, beaches and park clean-up efforts. With the emergence of social enterprises people are trying to create services to deal with individual problems that exists in one area – which requires a solution that can only be created in that specific locale. Other areas on the other side of town or the country will require their own individual bespoke practice to meet these challenges.

These are very difficult times we live in …. Yet it could be our saving grace as towns, villages and cities begin to function more efficiently, in a more responsible manner with ties being stronger than ever which creates the true definition of a functional community.

Micro-sociality may be a new academic buzz word … yet it may become more common place and acceptable term in the 2020’s and 2030’s. Communities can be a thriving more functional place. Yet first we have to listen to the bottom upwards. Each town has a unique dynamic which requires unique solutions.

There is a lot of work ahead of all of us ….