What about social improvement?

[Lark]

Self-improvement is kind of a thing, at least I see a lot of space online taken up by it (which could be just my filter bubble, no problem with that) but what about social improvement? Is it possible? What does it look like? Is it distinct from state intervention, redistribution of the wealth, public spending on public goods and services?

 

[The Cat]

It's less to do with the economy and more to do with honoring life and the balance of our place in the world beyond keeping up with the joneses to distract us from the very problems that such things inevitably lead to.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

My sister thinks this way. It seems like it has to do with creating projects and facilities that are positive for the community. People who promote and build community centers, literacy programs, learning activity centers for children, starting community gardens, as well as people who help build facilities in impoverished communities, etc. I think finding ways to help people feel good about themselves is important because a lot of community problems are related of course to poverty, but it's side effect of depression as well. It's hard to pull out of poverty because you feel physically sick and tired and like it's hopeless and you don't have the empowerment to change your life. Activities in community centers I think are supposed to help kids feel good at sports, have help with school, gain skill in music and art, so they feel good self-esteem and like they have the personal power to move forward in their life.

There could be this question on a personal level. I'm not always sure how to improve my own social functioning, except I've decided to focus my emotional energy towards my family to negotiate and tolerate whatever their issues are. I found that friendships were too fleeting and surface level and so family is more likely to drive you to the hospital if you are sick, so it good to be nice to these people even if they do things that are upsetting emotionally at times.

 

[Lark]

I do think about this a lot.

I do think there's a sort of subsidiarity involved, you begin with self, family, neighbourhood, town, community, society, government, global.

The sphere of influence is also shrinkingly small compared to the sphere of concern often.

Finally, I do think that civic or social change is different to the state but not everyone has the same resources, money talks often, which is an issue.

 

[21%]

I think it's about nurturing a culture that is kind and altruistic, and I have been thinking that it has a lot to do with making people feel *safe* but at the same time *aware*, since fear/anxiety short-circuits your brain into primal behaviors.