This was a tremendous read, Ruth and Peco. It strikes me that "Recognize" is so much easier said than done. As I've been thinking about technological influence in my life, I've been struck by how much tech use is reflexive at this point. I'm not even talking about the compulsive reach for an iPhone. Even just using a microwave is such an…
This was a tremendous read, Ruth and Peco. It strikes me that "Recognize" is so much easier said than done. As I've been thinking about technological influence in my life, I've been struck by how much tech use is reflexive at this point. I'm not even talking about the compulsive reach for an iPhone. Even just using a microwave is such an inherent piece of life that we don't think about it. "Remove" becomes a very intentional process that will inevitably include slip-ups and difficulties because tech's tentacles are so darn wrapped into everything that we do.
I do wonder about the possible avenues for the "Return" guidepost. Not everyone can live in an intentional community like the Bruderhof, but for those of us who live in small towns, why can't we make our communities more intentional? There's a belief from the ancients on through Tocqueville and others that people are best governed in smaller societies. Someone tagged me recently in a quote on Substack that people's lives are better when they know their local mayor. Obviously, as a small town mayor, I am biased, but perhaps there's a point there. In small towns where we DO know many people and where our values are often aligned in many large ways, perhaps our communities should focus on centering community-wide life on projects like this. Even partial adoption would be healthy for our families, relationships, and children.
It would be interesting to see the kinds of opposition that might arise against reducing digital device use in a small town. I don’t mean how individuals would react (though that might be an issue), but rather pushback by outside industry interests, or even political interests. Ten thousand people suddenly not using Facebook or Twitter might get annoying to Big Tech, especially if it becomes a trend.
Not that the goal should be to annoy anybody, of course; but change on that scale would definitely not go unnoticed.
Thanks for adding your reflections James! The quote you linked: "Aristotle had said that a city in which the mayor did not know all of its people by name was too large to govern…The spirit of modernity went the other way: into widening every distance…distance negates responsibility", points in the right direction - Smaller, closer, nearer, and more known.
This can be applied in microcosms even in condo buildings, in sections of suburbs, and on cul de sac streets (as we are experiencing just now). Granted it may be more challenging, but we have experienced it as possible when the focus was on people rather than the place. The graph was intentionally drawn to represent that no matter whether we were just forming closer relationships within families, between families, or larger communities, the 3Rs can help to reorient us toward each other.
Looking forward to hearing more from your reflections as mayor of a small town!
This was a tremendous read, Ruth and Peco. It strikes me that "Recognize" is so much easier said than done. As I've been thinking about technological influence in my life, I've been struck by how much tech use is reflexive at this point. I'm not even talking about the compulsive reach for an iPhone. Even just using a microwave is such an inherent piece of life that we don't think about it. "Remove" becomes a very intentional process that will inevitably include slip-ups and difficulties because tech's tentacles are so darn wrapped into everything that we do.
I do wonder about the possible avenues for the "Return" guidepost. Not everyone can live in an intentional community like the Bruderhof, but for those of us who live in small towns, why can't we make our communities more intentional? There's a belief from the ancients on through Tocqueville and others that people are best governed in smaller societies. Someone tagged me recently in a quote on Substack that people's lives are better when they know their local mayor. Obviously, as a small town mayor, I am biased, but perhaps there's a point there. In small towns where we DO know many people and where our values are often aligned in many large ways, perhaps our communities should focus on centering community-wide life on projects like this. Even partial adoption would be healthy for our families, relationships, and children.
It would be interesting to see the kinds of opposition that might arise against reducing digital device use in a small town. I don’t mean how individuals would react (though that might be an issue), but rather pushback by outside industry interests, or even political interests. Ten thousand people suddenly not using Facebook or Twitter might get annoying to Big Tech, especially if it becomes a trend.
Not that the goal should be to annoy anybody, of course; but change on that scale would definitely not go unnoticed.
Thanks for adding your reflections James! The quote you linked: "Aristotle had said that a city in which the mayor did not know all of its people by name was too large to govern…The spirit of modernity went the other way: into widening every distance…distance negates responsibility", points in the right direction - Smaller, closer, nearer, and more known.
This can be applied in microcosms even in condo buildings, in sections of suburbs, and on cul de sac streets (as we are experiencing just now). Granted it may be more challenging, but we have experienced it as possible when the focus was on people rather than the place. The graph was intentionally drawn to represent that no matter whether we were just forming closer relationships within families, between families, or larger communities, the 3Rs can help to reorient us toward each other.
Looking forward to hearing more from your reflections as mayor of a small town!