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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers

In the article titled Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers, Levy shares that “COVID-19 has severely disrupted every aspect of society. It has altered how we work, play, learn, exercise, shop, worship, and socialize” (Levy, 2020). This hit close to home for me. During COVID I gave birth to my first child. It was wonderful until my baby girl turned seven months and I wanted to socialize. However, due to COVID and being afraid to get out I over isolated myself. I waited until she turned nine months and pushed myself to get out and go for walks. I then thought this is not so bad I should head over to the Early Years Ontario Centre or book a Mommy and baby swim class. I walked over to the closest Early Years Ontario Centre to see the sign that said closed until further notice. There I might several moms with babys and strollers who had come for the same reason. I asked them if they’d like to meet up here once a week and walk together. We were all thrilled with the idea and instantly became friends. As Levy, says “history tells us that society can be socially cohesive in times of crisis” (Levy, 2020). This was an awesome experience. Prior to COVID I don’t think I would’ve asked this of strangers. I completely agree with Levy. COVID has definitely altered the way of life for all. It brought us together in new ways. Together we stand, united we fall!.

Reference,

Levy, A. (2020, May 20). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

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The Death of Community?

Laura Vincent

The author of the titled article talks about how the spirit of community is dying. I do not think this is true. I believe that community spirit still exits in many parts of the world. Rather, what I believe is happening is that communities are metamorphosing. In our fast-paced, technology-driven modern society, it often seems that there is little time for socializing on a day-to-day basis. I think we often replace those in-person get togethers with texting through our phones and online social media apps to multitask our time. The issue, I believe, is that the quality of these online interactions is not as high as an in-person get together. Tied to this is the fact that communities are evolving. We now have communities that are virtual; especially so, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing became necessary and virtual communication became many people’s lifeline to the outside world.

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers

Sonia Deacon

The article depicts the effects of the coronavirus has transformed our world and changed our lives. I never thought for a moment that Canada’s healthcare system could ever be as overwhelmed as it was during the pandemic and still is. In the article, Levey writes about “cognitive dissonance” resulting from social isolation.  Since the pandemic, many people have or are experiencing depression and heart disease. Yet, throughout the pandemic, we also saw solidarity at its finest. As we witnessed support for our front-line workers throughout the world, the pandemic caught people off guard and scared us too. Consequently, throughout the pandemic I often found myself asking if life will ever return to normal,  and if so, when?  As this article informs us that human beings are not generally well disposed to radical departures from their routines, I wonder what humans will look like in the future as society seems to be radically pushing us away from regular routines (Levy,2020).

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"The Value of Community: Are we losing it?"

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"The Value of Community: Are we losing it?"

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Dr. Morgan, (DM) writes of a past for which she seems to have waves of nostalgia and sadness.  I can definitely identify with her.  It's true, many neighborhoods are not the same as they used to be, but is that not life? I forget which great philosopher it was who made the observation that they city is the soul writ large and with that in mind, I would have to argue that it is up to each of us to make sense of the world, especially if we are a generation of strangers.  DM concluding advice was to evaluate or re-evaluate our use of technology which is a great idea, but I think there is a much deeper issue. Technology is here to stay, and we cannot simply cut down on time to “be” with other people.  One might argue that it begins with how we raise our children, but even that becomes difficult.  I think the issue goes much deeper.  But your advice is sound.

Reference.
Morgan, C. (2017, July 22). The Value of Community: Are we losing it? HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-value-of-community-ar_b_11109474

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Article: Coronovirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers - Chantelle R

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Article: Coronovirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers - Chantelle R

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This article was interesting to read. The introduction of virtual classes during Covid never really sat well with me initially, but I appreciate it much more.

When I read the part about how losing our social connections might make us feel lonely, I finally felt like yes, so it's not just me thinking this. At times during Covid, I had to face my thoughts. Thoughts of fear, worry, and whether I would ever attend a party again with friends. I loved how that was one of the things Levy wrote about, the "mental discomfort." Levy also noted that this loss of social connection could even increase the risk of depression, high blood pressure, and heart disease death.

I know this all too well because during Covid, I think the fear for my children and their well-being got to me. Just like the article talked about new ways to cope, what became my coping mechanisms were online versus battles and online DJ parties. I worked all through Covid at Toronto Pearson Airport. So what was once a hectic immigration line turned into a ghost town?

Even today, when I go to work, I see many differences in families and how everyone is affected when they travel. I see the families without a care in the world desperate to get out of dodge and then the families covered from head to toe in hazmat suits.

Covid allowed me to connect with strangers virtually during my course at Sheridan College. It also allowed me to help elderly customers at my local grocery who were too afraid to leave their cars. Levy wrote, "perhaps we are unknowingly changing the blueprint for how we live our lives in the future."Has COVID-19 Changed Our Sense of Connection With Others?

It has changed my view on life and what is important to me. It has allowed me to be more caring and compassionate to strangers and myself. Lastly, it has allowed me to slow down and make memories,

References

Has COVID-19 changed our sense of connection with others? (2020b, May 20). World Economic Forum. Retrieved October 2, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

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The city where my Dad was born Azogues Ecuador

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Tanya Vintimiila

This article makes good points on they way community has changed, and opens our eye's to the new reality of communities. He mentions a number of factors of the decline of communities. Everyone is too busy with work, families, also women used to be stay at home moms but now woman are working a lot more. Also higher car use we are much more mobile, and when we feel like being social we can drive anywhere rather than talk to our neighbours. Interestingly she mentions the role of social media as a contributor to the loss of community. This to me is something I see more, but never related it to the loss of community, however thats what it has become. I also feel like the pandemic has made this worse,

The article goes on to mention that the loss of community may not affect the younger people as much, however the people most affected  are elderly populations. They are vulnerable to isolation, and need help from the people around them. Everything seems virtual these days. From ordering food, booking appointments to waiting in a virtual line. This is not accessible for older adults that are not used to doing things virtually, which also means they rely on their community and neighbours for help even more these days. Without help for their community, seniors who have no family are most vulnerable.

After reading this article as well as the others ones, I think we have to revive community. The word community is not fully understood by everyone and or taken into considered. Community seems like it's put at the back burner and not thought about anymore, due to all the distractions within society. I myself didn't understand the full scope of community and how so many components create a community and so many factors can effect a community. As I continue to learn I'm more aware and concious, I myself can make small changes to help create a sense of community where I am and in what I do.

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Hind kassem ( The Death of Community? by Dr Sandi Mann

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Hind kassem ( The Death of Community? by Dr Sandi Mann

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I find this article interesting because it talks about not having time for each other and not living the way we used too. These thoughts are always crossing my mind and thinking why we don't connect anymore. For example, the family members don't have dinner together and don't go trips together. Everyone stuck in his/her room with tablets and living in their own world. In my opinion, technology and economic situations disconnect us. Mothers and fathers are at work working hard to get their bills paid and children are either at schools or in their rooms. I noticed that  family members communicate through their phones even though they are in the same house.
COVID 19, although it disconnected people, and made them feel physically isolated. It brought us closer through social media. As for me, I see that even before covid 19 technology would pull people away from reality, and feel more connected to the virtual world. For example Social media allows people to connect in ways that wouldn't be possible, and can often expand people's social circles. In your daily routine, you might not interact with many people who share a life situation with you, or are dealing with specific challenges, like being a new student at a school or moving to a new country. On social media you can connect with people who are dealing with similar situations and share worries and other things similar to that. On a personal level, I find that COVID 19 gives me a chance to connect with myself and to embrace happiness and practice gratitude. for example, I never had time to exercise but during covid 19 it gave a chance to work out without having to worry about anything else. Do you think COVID 19 made your life better or worse?
Hind Kassem

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Article: The Value of Community, are we losing it?

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Article: The Value of Community, are we losing it?

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I really enjoy reading this article. Author's words " when was the last time you went to bring cookies and introduce yourself to the new neighbor who just moved in?" really hit me. If I answer this question,  I remember me and my family sharing food with neighbours 6 years ago in India. I have very good memores of getting together, sharing food and gifts on different festivals. I remember we also invite people we don't know much. I saw that we were doing affords in building community at that time. when I came to Canada, I was very surprise that how come people don't know their neighbours. I see that there are still some people doing something for building community, but percentage is very low. In India also, trend of mixing up in community is decreasing because nowadays people are liking isolation. But, I think many of them don't know yet about the devastating effects of isolation they will have in future.  If I see myself, I will think many time before I share food with any stranger because I think they wouldn't trust me. After covid, things got worst. It is very hard to build relationship with people around us. After covid, I see everything got online. People start liking work from home, online school from home, shopping from home etcetera because they are thinking that it is saving them their time and money, but I feel they are missing an important thing: community relationships. They are interacting with their computers than people in the community. Sometime, I think we lost our communication skills with people after covid. I like that how author is saying at her every opinion that "I might be wrong" which leave a positivity behind her article and made us think that there are still many people who want to engage in the community, which is true as well. I think that there are many people around us who are there to communicate, but we have to do some affords to look around and find community.
-Sukhmanpreet Kaur

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The Value of Comminity: Are We Losing It?

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The Value of Comminity: Are We Losing It?

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Community means different things to different people, and it changes with every generation. Older people love to talk about the good old days, but these will be the good old days for my 16year old son. I believe communities evolve and adapt, they are fluid.
My experience growing up was much like the authors, but we can all agree that technology has brought about much of these changes. People are walking less and driving more therefore you can go as far away as you want. Before all the cars and cell phones and streaming services you had to socialize with the people around you because there was not much else to do.
We are not losing community people are just communicating virtually now, and it is not for everyone. As with everything there are positives and negatives. I agree with the author that having balance is key, both communication styles are important. Social media allows us to stay in touch with friends and family no matter where they are but as human beings we do need that physical connection.
Whatever community you want you can have, feel free to introduce yourself to your new neighbours with baked goods. Find the people in your community that feel the same as you and connect with them.
Nicola Bent

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"The Value Of Community: Are We Losing It?"  

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"The Value Of Community: Are We Losing It?"  

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I am no spring chicken. So I do mourn what seems to be a loss of the value of community.  Now I could scroll through my Powerpoints and find all the terminology,  but I think that my emotional response is a good indicator of what I think.  Over the past five years I have biked along Dundas in Oakville, and the urban sprawl continues to expand at a reckless pace which contrasts to the decline in the value of a connected community.  I grew up in the “country” where most of neighbours spoke with each other on a regular basis, and we still do.  We also helped each other so there was reciprocity in services, sharing of skills and respect all round.  But such things are not present in this urban sprawl.

I think it exists in micro pockets, as in 2 or 3 neighbours whose connections extends to speaking when their paths cross so, I could argue, that these are of value. Some parents have children in the same school so they do assign a set of values to these parent-to-parent relationships. Even at Sheridan College I find that I am part of a new student community, and in the student community I have a budding ASL and Aboriginal community so perhaps I need to evaluate my own values once again.

After a two minute re-evaluation I think I need to change my idea of community.  Perhaps I need to address or consider redefining my idea of community. I think it may be like shopping so if I am loyal to a certain brand then I travel TO that brand and take myself to that community.  Thus, if community has been lost then let me redefine my community as something that I must “go to” nurture once I find them.

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When I was growing up, I lived on a street where we knew all the neighbors. I played with all the kids, and the adults would socialize with each other. It was normal. We'd have pool parties with them and we would look out for each other's houses or get their mail if they went on vacation.

But the neighborhood I live in now is nothing like that. I know some of my neighbors, but I was really only good friends with one of them. And unfortunately, they moved to North Carolina a couple of years ago. I did have another next door neighbor that I would socialize with, but he also moved.

Granted, I live by an Air Force base, so that doesn't help. We constantly have families coming and going throughout our neighborhood. And I really feel bad for my kids, especially my oldest, because so many of his friends are military kids and end up moving away. I know it's difficult for him.

But even though my neighborhood maybe be the extreme, I know there are other neighborhoods out there where the people are very friendly and all know each other, which would be the other extreme. I think most people's communities are somewhere in the middle.

For example, one of my sisters has lived in the same house for 14 years. And until about 8 years ago, she didn't really talk to any of her neighbors either. But when their next door neighbors moved in, they did become friends. My point here is that her neighborhood isn't transitory like mine - it's actually a highly desirable school system and people move in and never leave. So it's interesting that even on her street, not many people socialize with each other.

I can't speak for all neighborhoods, and I might be wrong, but it sometimes seems like we're losing our sense of community. I mean, when was the last time you went to bring cookies and introduce yourself to the new neighbor who just moved in? Or went to ask to borrow a cup of sugar instead of running out to the grocery store instead? I'm sure people still do it, but I feel like that doesn't happen much anymore.

A long time ago, people were tribal. As the saying goes, "it takes a tribe to raise a child." There was some real truth to that. It means that people needed to band together and help each other (and I believe we still do). We need to have connection, not isolation. And while most people don't live in tribes any more (at least not in this part of the world), I think our basic human need for connection and community hasn't gone away. It's just not being satisfied as well anymore.

And it goes beyond just physical neighborhoods. While I think technology has enhanced our lives in many ways, I think that in other ways, it has made it worse. Yes, Facebook connects us to our long-lost friends from grade school. But does it disconnect us from the people we actually have in our everyday life? Do you tend to text or write on your sibling's Facebook wall instead of calling or getting together in person? I know a lot of people who do that.

And if you know a teenager, you've probably witnessed a time (or many times) where they sit around with a group of friends and just look at their phones. I don't let my kids do this, because why bother getting together with a friend if you're not going to actually interact with them?

And then you have families who go out to eat at restaurants, but they are all looking into their phones (or iPads for smaller children) and not talking to each other. If you haven't noticed this, take a look around the next time you go out to eat somewhere.

These days, it seems like we're moving farther and farther away from each other in an emotional way. Instead of loving your neighbor just because they are your neighbor, I've even read some things about how some people judge their neighbors based on how well they keep up their house or even if they " go green" or not. Why do we care what our neighbors do as long as they are nice and supportive?

I'm not trying to bash technology. Because that's not the problem. The problem is how humans use technology. Just because you have your phone with you doesn't mean that you have to look at it when you are with your family, friends, or neighbors. I think when people do that, it breaks down that connection that is being lost.

So I encourage you to look at your habits. Try to go out of your way to go introduce yourself to a neighbor you don't know yet. Set limits for your family for their technology usage. Be self-aware. Understand that your actions can have negative consequences to your relationships if you're not careful.

I have faith that we can all stay connected as human beings. We just need to hold ourselves accountable and do the right thing so we don't lose our sense of community.

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The Value Of Community: Are We Losing It?

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I can't speak for all neighborhoods, and I might be wrong, but it sometimes seems like we're losing our sense of community. I mean, when was the last time you went to bring cookies and introduce yourself to the new neighbor who just moved in?

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My God son Alexander, and Pippin, the portuguese water dog.

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Article: The Value of Community, are we losing it?

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Article: The Value of Community, are we losing it?

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The author describes a childhood living in a tight knit neighbourhood, where the residents all knew and socialized with one another.  She feels people today would rather spend time engaging in the virtual world, on their phones, than engaging with people in their present day, physical world.  I think she is partially correct in making this claim, because I often catch myself doing the same thing! So much so, that I have consciously set in place boundaries surrounding device use and time spent online.  For example, I picked my 7yr old God son up to take him to his Kung Fu class last week.  He hopped in the car with tablet in hand, ready to play a game.  I reminded him of the rules in my car, which is "no devices", and that, “we have conversation in this car.” He knew he no choice but to hand over the tablet to me. I do this because I am consciously aware of what limited time we have together, and as much as I can help it, I would like to make that time of quality and substance.  We drove to Kung Fu with him telling me all about his day at school.  I say the author is partially correct in her assessment of loss of community, however I would argue that she is comparing today to yesterday, and that is not apples to apples! Times have changed, and they continue to change with technology.  Society adapts with, and to these changes.  It has to.  The traditional community of the author’s past is rare, if not long gone nowadays.  Today people are still belonging to a community, however now it is often online, virtual, via text, instant message, and face time.  Covid19 lockdowns brought with them a huge shift in the way we interact with one another. Community isn’t lost, it's just moved out of sight, behind a screen.  Is this a bad thing if people are still engaging and connecting with each other?  We have to acknowledge that the use of smart phones and other devices facilitates both connection and disconnection between people and community.
-Jennifer Chiovitti

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers  

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers  

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I loved reading this article. It so brilliantly summarizes everything I have been seeing on the news lately. Levy wrote that “COVID-19 has severely disrupted every aspect of society. It has altered how we work, play, learn, exercise, shop, worship, and socialize” (Levy, 2020). In my community everything has changed. When I used to walk out of my apartment, I would only see perhaps one Uber eats delivery waiting at my neighbor’s door about once a month. Now I see an Uber eats delivery three sometimes four times a day at his door. I asked him why he is ordering via Uber eats so often. He said due to COVID the line ups at the grocery stores were so long and I could not bare to wait as I have now started to work from home. He was shocked when I told him there aren’t any more line ups. He said it doesn’t matter I’ve already assimilated and made this change and now I am afraid to go to grocery stores and the gym. I was saddened for him. This young man used to go to the gym three times a day to socialize. He used to say cooking healthy meals and going to the gym were his me time. As Levy shared, COVID has not only altered how my neighbor works and play but it has changed my neighbors’ values. This made me ponder. What values have I lost or changed since COVID. I am grateful for Levy’s article as it has led me to self-discovery again.

Cheers,

Noella Kalambayi

Reference:

Levy, A. (2020, May 20). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

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Ganyo Soh                                          "Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers"-Levy, A.

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Ganyo Soh                                          "Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers"-Levy, A.

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The author Levy, captured my attention when he quoted a famous proverb in his article, “birds of a feather flock together.” (Levy, 2020) The impact of COVID has been very influential with my choices and how I respond to crises in our community through my personal life.

Within my personal life I felt the social bonds of my network were conflicted, as mentioned by Levy. (Levy, 2020) Some of my peer within my inner circle were following through and adhering to the new protocols and others were forwarding rhetoric of propaganda, which generated a loss in my personal community. I felt a division with my beliefs and impacts of this unfamiliar virus. In respects to Levy, my cognitive dissonance was at an all time high, especially when it came to the social bonds with the anti-vax and vaccinated. At the beginning of the pandemic, it was very difficult to make decisions to have social connections without being judged. Each person I interacted with had different viewpoints and values that were at times contradictory, based on their actions when in came to their personal limitation with social connections due to COVID. This response was one the driving forces for me to deep dive into understanding my mental conflict and reduce my cognitive dissonance to maintain my mental well being, as Levy stated. (Levy,2020) In reflection to Levy article, regardless of the various viewpoints that my inner circle had, currently I have been able to find a balance using different platforms and unique ways to build a strong togetherness within my personal life, socially and emotionally. (Levy. 2020)

Reference

Levy, A. (2020). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers

In the article titled Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers, Levy shares that “COVID-19 has severely disrupted every aspect of society. It has altered how we work, play, learn, exercise, shop, worship, and socialize” (Levy, 2020). This hit close to home for me. During COVID I gave birth to my first child. It was wonderful until my baby girl turned seven months and I wanted to socialize. However, due to COVID and being afraid to get out I over isolated myself. I waited until she turned nine months and pushed myself to get out and go for walks. I then thought this is not so bad I should head over to the Early Years Ontario Centre or book a Mommy and baby swim class. I walked over to the closest Early Years Ontario Centre to see the sign that said closed until further notice. There I might several moms with babys and strollers who had come for the same reason. I asked them if they’d like to meet up here once a week and walk together. We were all thrilled with the idea and instantly became friends. As Levy, says “history tells us that society can be socially cohesive in times of crisis” (Levy, 2020). This was an awesome experience. Prior to COVID I don’t think I would’ve asked this of strangers. I completely agree with Levy. COVID has definitely altered the way of life for all. It brought us together in new ways. Together we stand, united we fall!.

Reference,

Levy, A. (2020, May 20). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

Cheyenne McDonald

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The Death of Community? by Dr. Sandy Mann.

While reading this article and discussing in class, I came to a harsh realization that the article was totally right in the sense that we are not as close with our neighbours as we once were. When I was younger I was close with a lot of my neighbours in my apartment building and townhouse complex as a teen. However, I've come to learn that after I moved out of my mom's house, that the people that live around you these days are less inviting as in years past. Currently, I live in a quiet neighbourhood where I only talk to my next door neighbour maybe once a week. The impact of COVID-19 has further isolated neighbourhoods in my opinion during the lockdown measures. People became more selfish and started caring less about others. I'm speaking from my own experiences and observations over the last 2 and a half years. I do hope that one day, we can "love thy neighbour" again.

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Article: The Value of Community: Are We Losing It?
By Dr. Carol Morgan

I find it interesting to see that the feeling of loss of community is so universal. We grew up in different countries yet encountered very similar experiences.
When I was a kid, I lived in a high-rise building in Hong Kong with 48 household units on each floor. We knew most of the families on our floor and often visited each other's place or played in the common area after school. When I read the author mentioned that "it takes a tribe to raise a child", I immediately said to myself, "yes, that's me". A lot of memories immediately came up to my mind. I played and ran around with more than 10 kids every day. Their parents talked with me and gave me some snacks or small toys. My parents and other neighbors helped each other a lot to take care of the children. So, this saying is very true to me.
Nowadays, things have changed drastically even before COVID.  We don't talk much with our neighbors like in the old days. Some people even choose not to greet their neighbors. I think it is mainly because society has become more and more complex. People have become more cautious, so many prefer to keep a certain distance from each other. Then, with the rise of technology and COVID, people have become more isolated and more reliant on technology. Quite a number of people have established a comfort zone behind a gadget where they can be free from viruses, free from inclement weather, free from long-time travel, free from "losing face", and free from human interaction.

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Article: The Death of Community?
By Sandy Mann

I absolutely enjoyed reading this article, there were so many of the stories that I could relate to. It certainly brought back the  nostalgia of the good old days growing  up in my old neighborhood. Back in those days there were no cell phones or emails to get all the neighborhood kids together to play. It was like we all knew what time after school we should gather at the local community center.
We had a real sense of community, people actually made house calls not phone calls. Kids would come knocking on our door to ask if we had an extra baseball or tennis ball. If we were absent from a game the entire team would come over to see if my siblings and I were doing ok. When I think of how differently my own children are growing up it often make me feel sad. However, when I share my experiences of growing up with my boys they have no desire to share the same experience.
They are completely unbothered by need to interact with people face to face, instead they prefer to spend their time glued to the phone watching anime  and texting friends.

There is no doubt technology makes everyday life a lot better. However, it also contributes to social isolation, a lot of scamming activities and mental health conditions especially in teens and young adults.

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     Most Farjana Aktar                                                      ( The Death of Community? by Dr. Sandy Mann)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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     Most Farjana Aktar                                                      ( The Death of Community? by Dr. Sandy Mann)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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The first thing that came to mind when I read this article was that we have greatly reduced the amount of eye contact we have with our neighbors on a daily basis as a result of increased technology. There is no greeting or smiling at them that we do. It used to mean a lot to us when we were kids, but nowadays I am ashamed to admit that I don't know who lives next door.

Our social nature makes us yearn to live in a neighborhood, and we love being part of a community, but the way we live has changed in recent decades. As a result of the pandemic, we have changed in a lot of ways, and social media has enabled us to connect with people all over the world at the same time. It's like it's kind of changing the pattern of social communication for me, but I miss the childhood friendships I had when we had classmates at school and neighbors in our neighborhood and we enjoyed every moment together.

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Kiannah Kerr-McCarthy                                      Article 2: Coronavirus: How Crisis Helps Us Connect With Strangers by: Andy Levy

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Kiannah Kerr-McCarthy                                      Article 2: Coronavirus: How Crisis Helps Us Connect With Strangers by: Andy Levy

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This article defines how the global pandemic affected the communities and how we had to adapt to the challenges and barriers on reconnecting or even staying connecting to the people around us let alone around the world. It also discussed about the acceptance of,“ unprecedented behavioural restrictions for the good of society”. (Levy, 2020, par 2) Lets even dive into the fact the government created a “Cognitive Dissonance” by the lockdown measures, resulted in isolation and loneliness. What a way to define a “Mental Discomfort” within your own home. (Levy, 2020, par 7)

It went on to say about the mental conflict it had on many people. The increase of depression, high blood pressure, isolation sense of loneliness and death from heart disease. (Levy, 2020, par 6)

However, what I wanted to really to bring to your attention, that the article highlighted was the cohesiveness and togetherness it created in the virtual world; by allowing virtual classes or forums to be made like, Breastfeeding support groups, exercise workouts, dance classes and even other support groups that helped others stay connected and aided throughout their life experiences. (Levy, 2020, par 10)

My only concern is that the virtual world was truly only accessible for some generations. Seniors had a hard time staying connected for the those in the long-term facility for example due the restrictions of visitors and even residences within the same space weren’t allowed to go to each other’s room. Everyone was simply isolated. So when the reader posed a question, How are people dealing with these lifestyle changes? The article did a great job highlighting and depicting the new resources, services that was created through technology to keep the communities connected and somewhat decreasing the sense of loneliness but also created a future avenue of choice after the pandemic for people to choose whether or not if they wanted to continue to socialize virtually or in person or maybe even both.

My thoughts, I see the positive and negative aspects of this avenue. People in general always want a sense of choice of options for their empowerment; but in the back end do we really understand the true depth of a “Rabbit Hole” it may bring us down to. Just a thought.

Levy, A. (2020, May 20).  Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum.

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Loss of Community
The Article: The Value of Community: Are we losing it? By Dr. Carol Morgan
Jul 21, 2016
The article talks about how the value of the community is declining. When we were growing up, everyone in the neighbourhood knew each other. It is straightforward to go to your neighbour and ask for something without having any doubt. There is no more connection between neighbours; everyone is isolated. Everyone is always in a hurry to leave their home without seeing if their neighbour is there to say hello. Even when we return from work, we always rush inside the house because we feel tired and don't want somebody to disturb us.

The neighbour's children are not communicating; even though they see each other occasionally, they don't talk to everybody, which shouldn't be. Everyone is always on their phone. Technology is taking the community away from the people. People don't value each other because technology takes most of our time with friends. No more valuable discussion everyone is checking social media on their phone. Many people their jobs have taken most of the time, some work 2 to 3 jobs. So they hardly find time to interact with or even know their neighbour.

In my neighbourhood, it isn't easy to knock on somebody's door. Once the neighbour does not recognize the person when they peep from the door, nobody will open they may think that the person is a telemarketer who wants to discuss the product.

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Article: Coronavirus: how crisis helps us connect with strangers
by: Andy Levy

In the following article, Levy writes about how the coronavirus impacted society and our sense of community. Levy (2020, para 1) writes “COVID-19 has severely disrupted every aspect of society. It has altered how we work, play, learn, exercise, shop, worship, and socialize.” Not to mention, the negative impacts on individuals' well-being due to the government's mandated restrictions. The article concludes that the loss of face-to-face contact increased the likelihood of illnesses such as heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. However, Levy wrote that when a community is faced with a common enemy, people tend to look past their differences and come together (Levy, 2020). This was shown when people from around the world developed creative ways to stay connected with one another, an of this includes online social events, virtual classes, and online support groups. In closing, the coronavirus might have physically divided society but, in some ways, it brought the community together.

Levy, A. (2020, May 20). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 28, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/coronavirus-emotional-connection-strangers-psychologist-covid19/

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The Death of Community? by Dr. Sandy Mann

Reading this article brings back memories of my childhood.

Back in the day, when I was young, I used to run around in the neighborhood alleys with bunch of friends. It was definitely beautiful and warm.

But if you ask me to live as we did back then—leave my keys next door, people come into my house at any time, share the bathroom, and borrow things—well, I'd say I can't imagine that now.

Like the last sentence in this article, yes, everyone needs a good neighbor.

However, in this era, the concept of neighbor is changing, and the way of interacting with neighbors has changed for a long time.

The author expresses that the community is dying. In addition, the author suggests that factors.

Conversely, the factors that have contributed to the decline of these communities are also things that have made our lives faster, more efficient, and more convenient in a way.

Personally, I think the development of social media is probably the biggest factor.

Whatever it is, there is always a price to be paid for the development and progress of mankind. The concept of neighbor has changed. The community is in decline. For one thing, we need to consider the vulnerable and the elderly in this time of change.

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Article: Mann, S. (2017, January, 22) The Death of Community?

The author spoke of several reasons we seem to have no time for each other. I would say the biggest issue is that of time, status, and the pursuit of “love of self”. I find it odd that people seem to be "Able" to get along without the involvement of neighbors. Some see them as a resource while others, well, as an obstacle to drive or walk around because they are too busy, and neighbors are just a bother.

In my early days in Britain, we enjoyed time with our neighbors, everyone was considered family. I guess I can appreciate my parents who always had an open door for friends and family. We had a constant stream of people in our home that I did not really know, still, it made growing up more enjoyable with the presence of friends.

Ahh! the good old days, when your basement had wood paneling and it stayed that way until the renovation boom started. When I was younger, we were considered poor, but we had a richness in family and community. Most days kids played on the streets for hours on end and it seemed like the norm. Today, if you found a handful of kids playing on the street you might be tempted to call your local newspaper or post it on Facebook out of shock.

The funny thing is in recent memory some have called the police to shut down kids playing sports on their own streets! Now that’s what they call being neighborly eh? If there were a study on neighbor relationships in poor or lower income neighborhoods vs wealthier ones, I would expect to see a stark difference because I believe there is a simplicity about not having all that the world has to offer and being more open to others. Now just for fun, (we don't need to do this) let’s see a show of hands to see who (in our class) would really like to be asynchronous or synchronous if extenuating circumstances were not an issue.

Additionally, Covid added another layer to independence, let's be honest.  The pandemic will go down in history as one of the major influences that ushered in new technologies to pacify healthy relationships in the 21st century. It has made people rethink the importance of family or each other as well as forced us to look at some grave consequences of being in the presence of others, far more or less often.

Covid 19 forced us to rethink our mindsets surrounding our communities, families, and individuals in whole new ways, for example, with zoom meetings, learning in schools, and online shopping. Yes, the collective "we" on a whole are dusting ourselves off from this incongruent dissonant reality, but not without some harmful lessons that will be realized for years to come.

In closing, technology has steered the way we communicate, however, Covid tipped its hat to this progression as well. I also believe there are other forces at play here but that is for another course and another time.

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Tabitha

Article: Levy, A. (2020, May 20). Coronavirus: How crisis helps us connect with strangers. World Economic Forum.

Andy Levy writes with compassion and from his observations and current research about what he witnessed and felt about life and community during the Pandemic. The article starts with a medical fact about the coronavirus. It then explores the mountainous ways life, relationships, and society have had to adapt because of Covid-19.

I like the question posed to the reader, how are people dealing with these lifestyle changes? The article pulls together why humans behave the way they do; from a psychologist's perspective. We are social beings, and lockdowns and social distancing have created stretches of loneliness, depression, and isolation for many. The article highlights the importance of modern technology during this upheaval allowing people to stay connected, which studies suggest is paramount as humans require emotional and social connections to thrive. The majority of society (followed public safety measures) and found comfort in that we were not alone in this crisis. This led to a sense of togetherness and common ground with people we know and those we don't ( strangers), and we adjusted how we conduct our lives.

Andy Levy, in this article, does not write about a loss of community. But perhaps a shared shift towards our united and global need for social justice, mindfulness, and collective accountability in the world we share.

Has the Pandemic created a new blueprint for how we live, play, work and connect in communities moving forward? I believe Andy Levy's article encourages the reader to ponder (hope) that it has.

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Article: The Death of Community?

Since the beginning of the Pandemic, I have witnessed my ‘sleepy crescent’ become a bit closer. There are about 8 of us neighbours that all speak and share things with each other. We offer to do groceries for one of the older ones, we share gardening advice, and gently used kids toys, we exchange holiday gifts and new baby presents. When there have been emergency vehicles on the street, we all come out to see who it is and what help we can lend. I cannot say this is the norm for all communities though. I have witnessed an influx of people pulling away from in-person life and choosing the virtual world as a preference. I agree with the author of this article, self-servitude does not build communities. I strongly feel there is a need for in-person community bonding to counter the isolation felt from the Pandemic, especially for the growing number of elderly people in our communities.