#societal-cohesion

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Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
9 hours ago

Not everyone who keeps a small social circle is protecting their energy. Some of them built a wide one once, watched it reveal exactly how many people would show up during an actual emergency, and quietly restructured around the answer - Silicon Canals

Small social circles often result from past crises that reveal true friendships, rather than a preference for fewer connections.
Philosophy
fromApaonline
16 hours ago

Promoting Civic Friendship: The Transformative Power of Public Spaces

The neighborhood in Lisbon faces challenges due to population growth, infrastructure strain, and a need for community-driven solutions like SAAL.
#philanthropy
Fundraising
fromFast Company
5 days ago

How giving starts progress and leadership scales it

Volatility and accountability are transforming philanthropy, requiring leadership to drive impactful change.
Fundraising
fromFast Company
5 days ago

How giving starts progress and leadership scales it

Volatility and accountability are transforming philanthropy, requiring leadership to drive impactful change.
London politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
17 hours ago

The Guardian view on London and antisocial behaviour: a real problem inflated by online panic | Editorial

London faces social issues, but investment in youth clubs aims to address antisocial behavior and provide safe spaces for teenagers.
fromNature
11 hours ago

How to thrive in science when you move abroad

International scientists, particularly those on visas, face unique challenges in their careers, especially in STEM fields. My book, 'Thriving as an International Scientist,' addresses these issues.
OMG science
New York City
fromThe Nation
2 hours ago

How Mamdani Presides Over a Fix-Everything Agenda

Zohran Mamdani's administration focuses on addressing both immediate city issues and deep-rooted racial inequities in New York.
Remote teams
fromFortune
19 hours ago

Will you be my (work) friend? The new reality of making and keeping a work friend in the hybrid world | Fortune

Making friends at work is challenging in a remote environment but can alleviate loneliness and improve workplace relationships.
Artificial intelligence
fromThe Nation
1 day ago

We All Hate AI, but if You're Poor, It Can Really Ruin Your Life

Luxury brands are emphasizing human artistry over AI to maintain exclusivity and appeal to consumers' desire for authenticity.
#friendship
fromSilicon Canals
17 hours ago
Relationships

Psychology says the number of close friends you actually need as you get older is far lower than most people assume - Silicon Canals

fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago
Psychology

People who are kind and intelligent but have no close friends have usually spent so long being competent in every situation that they've forgotten, or never learned, how to be helpless in front of someone - and helplessness, offered honestly, is one of the primary raw materials that close friendship has always been made from - Silicon Canals

Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
17 hours ago

Psychology says the number of close friends you actually need as you get older is far lower than most people assume - Silicon Canals

The number of close friends needed for fulfillment is between three and five, not a large group.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

People who are kind and intelligent but have no close friends have usually spent so long being competent in every situation that they've forgotten, or never learned, how to be helpless in front of someone - and helplessness, offered honestly, is one of the primary raw materials that close friendship has always been made from - Silicon Canals

Real friendship is built on vulnerability and connection, not competence or capability.
Canada news
fromTruthout
13 hours ago

In Echoes of Corbyn, Insurgent Candidate Wins Canadian Party Leadership

Avi Lewis has been elected as the new leader of Canada's NDP, promising a leftward shift in party policies.
fromLGBTQ Nation
15 hours ago

Classmates subjected a young teen to "relentless" homophobic bullying. Then tragedy struck. - LGBTQ Nation

Leyton's mother stated, 'None of the boys in that school accepted him. They told him they would never accept him for the way he spoke. He was a sassy speaker, more feminine - not the 'hard boy' type. This wasn't going on for just a little while.'
LGBT
fromPadailypost
1 day ago

New police chief likes being the good guy

Reifschneider said he tries to think about a moment when he helped someone, even if it's something mundane like pulling up behind a driver who ran out of gas. He's encouraged his fellow police officers to also reflect on a good deed.
Mission District
Science
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
22 hours ago

Do people see robots as having race? New studies clash as humanoids enter the real world

Biases in robot color assignment reflect human workplace hierarchies, often unrecognized by participants making choices.
France politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

A new generation of politicians of colour is emerging in France. The backlash speaks volumes

Bally Bagayoko's election as mayor of Saint-Denis marks a significant political shift, reflecting the city's diverse community and challenging national trends.
Retirement
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

The emptiness many people feel after 70 isn't the absence of purpose - it's the absence of an audience, and those are completely different problems with completely different solutions - Silicon Canals

Retirement often leads to a loss of audience, not purpose, causing feelings of uselessness among retirees.
Higher education
fromAbove the Law
1 day ago

Philly Law Students Demand School Break Ties With ICE - Above the Law

Law students are demanding protections against ICE and DHS recruitment on campus due to threats to their rights and safety.
Washington DC
fromStreetsblog USA
2 days ago

How To Push A Livable Streets Project Forward - Even in the Era of Federal Clawbacks - Streetsblog USA

Christopher Coes is leading AmericaFWD to advance sustainable transportation projects in U.S. communities, especially those affected by funding cuts.
#loneliness
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the loneliness of having no close friends is not the same loneliness of being isolated - it is the loneliness of being consistently almost known, of spending years in relationships that go up to the edge of real intimacy and stop, and the stopping is always the same stopping and it is always your own hand on the door - Silicon Canals

Real connection requires depth, not just quantity, in relationships to avoid feelings of isolation.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
12 hours ago

There's a specific kind of social performance I've perfected over twenty years of having no close friends. I can walk into any room, be warm and engaged for three hours, drive home in complete silence, and feel more alone than I did before I arrived - Silicon Canals

Social performance can mask deep loneliness, as individuals may connect outwardly but feel isolated internally.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the loneliness most common after 70 isn't the loneliness of being alone - it's the loneliness of being surrounded by people who love the version of you that you've been performing for forty years - Silicon Canals

Loneliness can stem from being surrounded by loved ones who only know a curated version of oneself.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the loneliness of having no close friends is not the same loneliness of being isolated - it is the loneliness of being consistently almost known, of spending years in relationships that go up to the edge of real intimacy and stop, and the stopping is always the same stopping and it is always your own hand on the door - Silicon Canals

Real connection requires depth, not just quantity, in relationships to avoid feelings of isolation.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
12 hours ago

There's a specific kind of social performance I've perfected over twenty years of having no close friends. I can walk into any room, be warm and engaged for three hours, drive home in complete silence, and feel more alone than I did before I arrived - Silicon Canals

Social performance can mask deep loneliness, as individuals may connect outwardly but feel isolated internally.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the loneliness most common after 70 isn't the loneliness of being alone - it's the loneliness of being surrounded by people who love the version of you that you've been performing for forty years - Silicon Canals

Loneliness can stem from being surrounded by loved ones who only know a curated version of oneself.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.
fromIndependent
1 day ago

Share the load and the cost: Why more parents are having joint birthday parties for kids

Birthday parties are supposed to be fun, and they are, but they can also be hard work, not to mention very costly for parents.
Parenting
fromFilmmaker Magazine
1 day ago

"What Solidarity Really Looks Like": Yael Bridge on Who Moves America

Drivers were delivering packages in deadly heat with no air conditioning; part-time employees, the majority of UPS' workforce, have been unable to receive benefits. Wages aren't rising at the same rate as the cost of living.
Independent films
Careers
fromNext Big Idea Club
1 day ago

In the Age of AI, Your Differences Are Your Superpower

AI is transforming work by focusing on tasks rather than job titles, allowing individuals to shape their careers actively.
fromBrooklyn Paper
1 day ago

Where are Brooklyn's "recreation deserts," and what can be done to fix them? * Brooklyn Paper

"Brooklyn has always been a place where movement is part of daily life. But today, Brooklynites, like all New Yorkers, are moving less, feeling more isolated and dealing with elevated rates of chronic diseases."
Brooklyn
Mindfulness
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Two Minutes Could Change How Officers See People They Serve

Hypervigilance in police can harm personal relationships; Just-Like-Me meditation may enhance connection and prosocial behavior.
#climate-change
Environment
fromNature
3 days ago

'Yes, we can': a blueprint for a clean economy and healthy society

A new 'clean' economy focused on sustainability can lead to a more efficient and prosperous society.
Environment
fromNature
3 days ago

'Yes, we can': a blueprint for a clean economy and healthy society

A new 'clean' economy focused on sustainability can lead to a more efficient and prosperous society.
Cancer
fromNature
3 days ago

Engaging the head and the heart: why scientists turn to poetry

Poetry and medicine intertwine, enhancing the healing process and providing emotional support in palliative care.
Right-wing politics
fromTruthout
5 days ago

No Kings Must Mean No War: Foreign Policy Is Least Democratic Space in Politics

The majority of Iranian Americans oppose the war on Iran, despite media portrayal of pro-monarchy sentiments.
Design
fromDesign Milk
5 days ago

OUTSIDERS Investigates the Space Between Society and Solitude

Modern design challenges conventional public seating to enhance social interaction and presence in urban spaces.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

Beyond Inclusion: Liberating LGBTQ+ Athletes

LGBTQ+ athletes face unique stressors that impact their performance and well-being due to the need to manage their identities in sports environments.
LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
2 days ago

New poll shows why it's important for everyone to speak up in favor of trans rights - LGBTQ Nation

Majority of Americans support trans rights, but polling wording significantly influences public opinion on specific issues like gender-affirming care.
Careers
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

I was always the reliable one - the one who showed up, remembered, rearranged, and absorbed - and it took me until 58 to wonder whether anyone would have come looking if I'd stopped - Silicon Canals

Being the reliable one can lead to personal neglect and invisibility in relationships.
Digital life
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

3 Ways to Assign Social Meaning in the Digital Age

Belonging is essential for fulfillment, especially in challenging times, yet the digital age complicates genuine connections.
fromwww.businessinsider.com
1 day ago

After a disappointing college experience, I was determined to make postgrad life better. Now I'm thriving.

Social anxiety and depression had other plans, leaving me in an ugly cycle of self-isolation and rumination. Terrified of rejection, I'd meet someone interesting during one of my English lectures and invite them out for frozen yogurt in my head.
Higher education
Philosophy
fromApaonline
1 day ago

What About Knowledge That No Longer Knows What It Is For?

Knowledge and education have become distorted by managerial frameworks, leading to a superficial understanding of their true purpose and value.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the moment a person stops needing to be right in every conversation is not the moment they become less intelligent - it is the moment they become more interested in the other person than in their own position, and that shift, whenever it arrives and for whatever reason, is the single most reliable predictor of whether the relationships they build from that point forward will be the kind that last - Silicon Canals

Building lasting connections relies on listening deeply and understanding rather than winning arguments.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

The person in your life who never complains and handles everything isn't at peace - they learned so early that expressing a need cost them something that they stopped expressing needs entirely - Silicon Canals

Being perceived as 'low maintenance' can lead to neglecting personal needs and emotional struggles.
Careers
fromFast Company
2 days ago

Laid off? Lean on your relationships, not your network

Job cuts due to AI are rising, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships before layoffs occur.
Social justice
fromLGBTQ Nation
1 day ago

Waiting for a hero to save us from Trump & MAGA? Here's where to look... - LGBTQ Nation

Heroes are often flawed mortals, and we must rely on ourselves for change rather than expecting saviors from above.
fromPhilosophynow
1 week ago
Philosophy

The Collective City

Islamic philosophy invites plurality and coexistence, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and the acceptance of error in understanding.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

People who are extremely good at reading a room often have no idea how to simply be in one. The scanning never stops. The social radar that everyone admires is the same system that prevents them from ever fully arriving anywhere, because arriving would require turning it off. - Silicon Canals

Emotional intelligence often acts as a surveillance system that hinders genuine connection rather than enhancing it.
SF politics
fromThe Nation
3 weeks ago

Bridging the Red-Blue Divide, One Concrete Deed at a Time

Community Works builds trust across partisan divides by organizing nonpolitical community service activities that unite neighbors regardless of political affiliation.
Online Community Development
fromTechCrunch
3 days ago

As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help | TechCrunch

The rise of friendship apps addresses increasing loneliness and social isolation, providing platforms for meaningful connections among individuals.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

I stopped being useful to everyone who asked and three relationships ended within six months. Not with arguments or explanations. Just a slow withdrawal once it became clear I was no longer offering what they'd originally come for. That taught me which connections were friendships and which were subscriptions. - Silicon Canals

Generosity in relationships can mask true connections, revealing that some bonds are based on utility rather than genuine closeness.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Most families have one person everyone loves but nobody genuinely listens to - and psychology says that person almost always knows exactly who they are, has known for decades, and long ago stopped hoping anyone else would figure it out - Silicon Canals

Family dynamics often lead to certain voices being unheard, creating an invisible hierarchy that affects communication and connection.
London politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

Young people want to come together': experts respond to mass teen meet-ups in Clapham

Teenagers organized chaotic gatherings in London via social media, leading to disorder and arrests, prompting political outrage and calls for action against youth behavior.
fromEurekAlert!
6 days ago
Online Community Development

Why some people change only when enough others do

Understanding individual thresholds for change and social networks can help overcome resistance to adopting new behaviors like climate change solutions.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Stop Pretending to Be Happy

Emotional acceptance leads to healthier processing of feelings, while suppression prolongs negative emotions and creates incongruence between feelings and expressions.
Social justice
fromSlate Magazine
2 weeks ago

I Always Thought I Was an Accepting Person. Then an Influx of Immigrants Moved In-and My Reaction Startled Me.

Acknowledging and confronting personal prejudices is a crucial step towards becoming a better ally.
#social-networks
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

People who keep their circle small aren't antisocial. They genuinely learned that intimacy and popularity are opposing forces, even though loneliness occasionally shows up as the cost of admission - Silicon Canals

Intimacy and popularity are competing pursuits; small social circles reflect a natural structure of human relationships, not a failure of social development.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

People who keep their circle small aren't antisocial. They genuinely learned that intimacy and popularity are opposing forces, even though loneliness occasionally shows up as the cost of admission - Silicon Canals

Intimacy and popularity are competing pursuits; small social circles reflect a natural structure of human relationships, not a failure of social development.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Some people don't cancel plans because they're flaky. They committed when one version of their energy was available and the person who wakes up that morning is operating on a completely different reserves system. The commitment was real. The capacity isn't. - Silicon Canals

Cancelled plans reveal a flawed assumption about self-consistency and commitment, suggesting a need for a new understanding of social expectations.
Philosophy
fromThe Nation
3 weeks ago

In Defense of Being Performative

Democracy requires citizens to actively perform civic engagement; dismissing performative politics misunderstands that democratic participation is inherently performative and essential for democratic survival.
Relationships
fromPortland Monthly
3 weeks ago

From the Editor: Building Community Isn't Always Fun. Do It Anyway.

Proximity-based community organizing builds solidarity across differences through sustained engagement and shared material goals, fostering understanding that transcends initial disagreements.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Psychology says people who grew up poor and became successful often can't fully enjoy it - not because they're ungrateful, but because some part of them never stopped waiting for it to disappear - Silicon Canals

Successful individuals often struggle with feelings of scarcity and anxiety about their financial stability, despite their achievements.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

A Science for Social Coherence?

In the practice of psychiatry, we like to think we have better radar than most doctors for identifying incoherent thinking in our fellow humans. Incoherence is one of the crucial signs for potential disasters in the central nervous system-delirium, psychosis, mania, intoxication, stroke, encephalitis. And yet, now in the waning years of my career, I confess that I've practiced this skill of identifying incoherent thinking with only the vaguest definition of coherence, and no measure.
Medicine
Philosophy
fromApaonline
3 weeks ago

Why We Need a Formal, Mandatory, and Remunerated "Citizen Lobby"

Post-Cold War optimism about democracy and internet freedom has been undermined by geopolitical tensions, neoliberalism, nationalism, and corporate influence that concentrate power among the already wealthy.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

The people who say 'I'm fine with whatever you want to do' in every social situation aren't easygoing. They've simply never been in an environment where stating a preference didn't start a negotiation they couldn't afford to lose. - Silicon Canals

People who appear easygoing may actually be practicing conflict avoidance as a survival strategy learned from past experiences.
Philosophy
Society exists as a real entity distinct from individuals, comparable to how organs form a brain; denying society's existence while acknowledging individuals is logically inconsistent.
Online Community Development
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

No One Is Coming to Help-Except Your Neighbors

Building community-led resilience networks and mutual aid groups nationwide enables neighbors to support each other through overlapping crises including climate change, inequality, and government violence.
fromFast Company
2 months ago

Our embrace of individuals over institutions isn't serving us well

In the early 20th century, sociologist Max Weber noted that sweeping industrialization would transform how societies worked. As small, informal operations gave way to large, complex organizations with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, leaders would need to rely less on tradition and charisma, and more on organization and rationality. He also foresaw that jobs would need to be broken down into specialized tasks and governed by a system of hierarchy,
History
fromHarvard Business Review
2 months ago

"People Need Unifying Messages"

In this issue of the HBR Executive Agenda, editor at large Adi Ignatius talks to Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati about how leaders can act with clarity amid rising social tension and rapid technological change.
Business
US politics
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Protesting Can Be Good For You

Participating in political protests builds social connection, reduces stress through collective effervescence, and strengthens community allyship against state aggression toward vulnerable groups.
Philosophy
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Neighbors, It's Time to Make a Stand

Universal conviction in one's own righteousness divides humanity, while accelerating evolutionary mismatch from our technology-created world remains our shared existential problem.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
3 weeks ago

The Life-Changing Art of Talking to Strangers

Brief interactions with strangers, including eye contact and smiles, provide meaningful connection and psychological benefits that differ from intimate relationships.
History
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

The Commons: The Unfinished Revolution

The American Revolution reshaped political power but preserved many social hierarchies, and inclusive historical portrayals recognize marginalized contributors.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
3 weeks ago

From Political Polarization to Bridging Divides

Political polarization stems from emotional identity and negative out-group perceptions rather than factual disagreement, and community engagement proves more effective than presenting contradictory evidence.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

What Does 'Care' Mean During Times of Social Instability?

Care is fluid and adaptive; emotional signals like anger, numbness, and fatigue indicate needs and limits, and individual care requires collective support for survival.
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Finding Social Connection in a New Community

"I feel like it was easier to connect with other transplants," she said. "Everyone seemed to revolve around hobby-based communities."
Relationships
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

Want to be part of a village? You might need to get out of your comfort zone

People say it takes a village to do difficult things: raise a child, sustain a community, build a barn. But we don't often talk a lot about what it takes to be a villager. What does it mean to not just be in a community, but to help create one? Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, says the key is to put yourself out there, even if it's scary.
Relationships
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

America Is Fraying, What Comes Next?

The air feels heavier. And the struggles are changing shape. Beyond my office walls, the world is shifting, and my clients sense the tremors. The things they once trusted, global order, democratic norms, and even their own personal safety, no longer feel solid. They feel brittle, as if one strong wind could bring it all down. And what they're sensing isn't imagined.
Relationships
Philosophy
fromApaonline
2 months ago

Solidarity, Self-Deprivation, and Selflessness

Some people intentionally forgo goods to share others' suffering, producing morally praiseworthy displays yet increasing aggregate harm when the sacrifice does not improve others' circumstances.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Building Bridges, Not Walls: Psychology and Neighbor Love

Religion can either promote universal compassion or create harmful boundaries around who deserves love, depending on whether it emphasizes human dignity for all or reinforces in-group exclusivity.
Philosophy
fromAeon
1 month ago

Institutions are how we scale up cooperation among millions | Aeon Essays

Institutions enforce cooperation but must also prevent guardians from abusing power, effectively shifting the cooperation problem upward rather than eliminating it.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

They Build Bridges to Create Opportunities for Others

Meaningful milestones reveal how relationships, generativity, and sacrifice create belonging, stability, and enduring family legacy.
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