Better and Stronger Together

Modern humans have roamed the earth for 300,000 years, and since the beginning, there have been communities: people coming together to share resources, compare ideas, and help raise their young. We see this idea in nature as well. Very few animals exist without aid from their herd, pod, flock, etc. Early human civilizations like Mesopotamia, Ancient India, and Ancient Egypt worked together to advance science, literacy, mathematics, astronomy, and law to form civilized and cultured societies. Humans have drawn on early thinkers and inventors for thousands of years to inspire innovation, and this lineage would be impossible without sharing information, resources, and social currency. We all have an innate need to protect each other and enhance others’ lives that manifests in many ways across languages

and cultures.

As early communities grew and developed and changed, so did the structures of those communities, such as agreed-upon laws, socioeconomic divides, and societal norms. A collective consciousness formed that agreed on one thing throughout history: we need each other to not only survive but thrive. With this agreement came some problematic ideas, like which people were worthy of their own citizenhood and rights, and we’re still figuring that one out. But over the course of history, we have developed an understanding of how to shape our communities. We find community in many places: school, church, neighborhoods, workplaces, community centers, libraries, clubs, gyms, and anywhere people gather for a collective purpose. Most cities and towns have resources like food banks or trauma centers aimed towards those who need extra assistance. 

Community is vital to us not only because we are better together, but because it can provide us with a stronger sense of self.

When you return home from a girls’ night or your monthly book club, chances are you feel more affirmed in your own identity than if you had spent the evening alone. This is true for both introverts and extroverts, which may challenge these ideas at their core, but when you think of those labels as how to refill your own social battery and the importance of being around others as a form of emotional, spiritual, and intellectual self-care, it may be easier to seek out social opportunities as someone who would rather stay home. Banking alone time to get to “be a villager” in my village is how I continue to fill my cup in sustainable ways. Participating in community and being a villager is also proven to reduce stress and isolation, which is more important than ever when third spaces are becoming less popular, and people are spending significant time online. Communities exist online, of course, which became vital during the COVID pandemic when we couldn’t meet in person, but they don’t compare psychologically to the communities we contribute to in our daily lives. Both should exist for people to thrive in today’s society.

The theory of social constructivism, developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, says that we learn through our interactions with others, and our development as humans is reliant on our communities. If you think of a baby learning to navigate the world, they learn to speak by listening to their parents, learn to walk by watching others do the same, and are placed in school at an early age to not only learn from instructors but also interact with other students and form bonds. We watch others handle difficult situations to inform our own choices when faced with adversity. We also learn through media: music, movies, television shows, articles, and art can show us how others view the world and give us a new lens on what we experience. Have you ever gone to a movie and came out at the end feeling like your worldview had changed or that you were more powerful than before? We are constantly bombarded with stimuli that can help us decide the kind of person we want to be. A thriving community across cultures requires people who are empathetic and compassionate to bolster those who need a helping hand, and we see this reflected in media that leaves us with the warm fuzzies. A show like The Good Place uses its entire arc to examine the idea of what we owe to each other and how to be kind, good, and giving human beings. These pieces of media are great examples of how social constructivism works to make us better and stronger together.

For myself, I’ve had a built-in community beyond my family and school friends since I was young; I began performing in theatre productions. Any form of people coming together to share stories creates a group with a common goal and often common values. Storytelling has been integral to communities for generations to share lessons, pass along folklore, make people laugh, and challenge them to think outside of their own perspectives. The history of theatre and storytelling is rich and varied, but few communities exist without some form of them. I’ve met and befriended many people doing theatre over the years who care deeply about others and find deep personal satisfaction in using their talents to share powerful stories with their friends, family, and neighbors. We then get to talk to those people after these shows and find out how it made them feel. This can often be incredibly different person to person, and that highlights the importance of these conversations to me. People take things away from stories that resonate with them or that they need to hear at the time. There then exists a group of people who experienced the same story on the same night and can talk about it for years to come.

Community is continually fostered through these and other social experiences that bring people together for a common purpose.

So how do we rely on each other to thrive, to find community, to exist on Earth together?

In an age of increasing technological advancements and social isolationism, it is more important than ever to seek out places where you can be among others, share in their lives and experiences, assist those who need it, and challenge your own worldview.

We never stop learning and growing, and those who do the most of this are those who seek it out for themselves rather than waiting for new experiences and opportunities to come to them. A good place to start is setting aside time and effort to involve yourself in your own community. If you’ve been in the village but haven’t been a villager for a while, look up your local community center and take a class. Find a local library or bookstore that may offer a reading group. Audition for a play. Volunteer at a shelter, cook for others, pack resource bags for unhoused people, and organize an event to give them out. Your soul will thank you for doing what humans are meant to do: connect and share with those around you.

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Written by Chloe Price

Creative direction by Chloe Price and Gracie Conner

Photography by Gracie Conner featuring Kayley Alissa, Chloe Price, Gracie Conner, and Olivia Conn

Resouces:

History.com Editors, “6 Early Human Civilizations,” History, updated August 24, 2023.

Manuel Atilano-Soto, Manuel E. Hernandez, and Jorge A. Morales, “The Evolution of Human

Sociality,” Frontiers in Psychology 11 (2020): 574044.

Marc Gregg, “The Importance of Community,” Psychology Today (blog), July 24, 2023.

“The Psychology of Community: Why Human Connection Makes CLG Work,” Community-Led

Growth, May 22, 2024.