The last lecture on positive peace and the different columns reminded me of something I have been seeing more and more recently. Over the past few weeks there have been numerous support networks popping up around different communities I visit. One of which that has stuck out to me is an endeavour by Dolphin Theatre in Onehunga to keep older members of the community healthy and connected during this period of crisis. They are asking for younger, tech-savvy people to phone isolated people, help home-school and read to children, and bring shopping to older residents among other tasks.
Particularly for a community made up of older people, this initiative is already showing positive outcomes by giving those who would otherwise be completely isolated a chance to interact with the outside world. The Dolphin Theatre is a centre of sorts, priding itself on the ability to create long-lasting relationships between audience members, actors and theatre staff. It has also acted as a hub for several projects, ranging from classes to a venue for talks. Seeing people I know and have worked with put forth this sort of initiative is both inspiring and a good reminder that there is humanity in the world.
This sort of help goes beyond little theatre goers though. Many different communities are reaching out by the day to offer support or to ask for it. Modern technology has given us the chance to reach out further than we ever have been able to before, while still maintaining social distancing. Whether these projects are evidence to New Zealanders sense of community or proof of a new spirit coming through is irrelevant to the good that is being produced each day for assistance and recovery.
As cynical as it may seem, there is the likely chance that when the virus settles down people too will retreat back to the individualistic society we live in. While this is not inherently negative, the ‘every man for himself’ attitude has been responsible for many of the shortages of abundant resources like toilet paper. Protecting a sense of connectivity between communities may someday prove to strengthen our ability to bounce back against this pandemic, and maybe future shocks.
We humans are social creatures. If you can, I would encourage you to find or create something like these initiatives. Even if it is only checking in on a person each Saturday, it could be the world to someone. I have linked the Dolphin Theatre Support form below if anyone wants to see it.
Dolphin Theatre Support Document – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfylFcvJfzbuGXJ2R9kyxLECNeckO7JLSVLGDI8xhXvG034tw/viewform
