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People are responding in different ways to the changes afoot. Our federal government is changing. The climate is changing. Technology is changing. Many of us are not sure how to react, or who we’re supposed to be in this unsettling world.

My reaction is to do more in person and less online. More in-person gatherings. More in-person chats. More handshakes.

Statistically, we spend more time looking at screens than ever before. And there’s a cost. The Surgeon General has reported that social media apps cause loneliness and that people who spend more time alone are not as happy as people who spend time with others. Americans of all races, ages, and incomes are spending less time socializing than ever before in recorded history. We spent more time alone in 2023 than in 2021, so it’s not just about COVID.

For more about this see the PBS News Story called The Anti-Social Century: Inside America’s Epidemic of Solitude. See also the Surgeon General’s Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.

Globally and nationally, things aren’t going my way. Environmentally and socially, I wish things were different. So how am I to respond?

I’ve worked on global and national causes and I will do more. Yet I can’t do everything. I have to make choices. This is how I’ve learned to prevent myself from feeling overwhelmed: I accept that I cannot dent 98% of what comes at me so I choose a focus and let go of the rest. It’s called strategic planning. Where am I gonna make a dent?

For me I suppose it’s back to basics.
• Make a difference where you are.
• Grow where you are planted.
• Love where you land.

My new strategic direction is to get together with people. And get people together. In person. Close to home. To develop relationships, build resilience, and have fun. I’m afraid I don’t trust the federal government like I used to. I’ve never trusted large corporations very much, and now even less. I’m afraid that our transportation systems, food systems, healthcare systems – and many other systems that rely on things we don’t understand and people we can’t reach – will be disrupted without warning.

So I’ve come to believe that building local resiliency is critical. For starters, I think we need more local food production. More small businesses. More bike riding. More social housing. More peer-to-peer supports. More young people making decisions on Town Councils and School Boards. And more local fun.

One new thing I’m doing: A Maker Café hosted by Durham Friends Quaker Meeting. An offline place. Learn about it in my January 20, 2025 Newsletter. Another thing, Carol and I have teamed up with two other families to organize a neighborhood party for everyone on our road. Another thing, I’m trying to do more in-person talks at libraries and other public places. More about each of these too, in the Newsletter.

Now I’m not saying we should retreat into our corners and do things in person only with people we like. NOT AT ALL. Notice how every one of my activities is “open to all.” No matter what your beliefs, you are welcome at one of my talks, at the Maker Café, or at my house for the neighborhood party. THIS is the most effective place to bridge the political divide, in my opinion. In person. Local.

When neighbors DO stuff together in person – like help with a fire or a flood or a lost dog – political beliefs become irrelevant. Gettin stuff done with teammates on the job – political beliefs become irrelevant. When we play sports, play music, or make a community play – political beliefs become irrelevant. Doing things together in person builds alliances across political differences, without even realizing. And as a practical matter, doing things with neighbors helps us know who’s who in the community; who to call for what. It builds resiliency.

I’ve been a bit quiet lately trying to figure this out. Who to be going forward? The strategic direction of my company? What’s MY strategic direction?

People are responding in different ways to the changes afoot. I’m not saying how you should respond. I’m just sharing how I plan to respond. God willin’ and the creek don’t rise.