Yes! Your post had such a huge impact on me. I remember reading it and thinking, wow, this is so obviously true, important, and overlooked — and also, how lucky Michael's friends are!
It's funny because while this article is intended to be about the purported benefit to others, all of what you mentioned would also meaningfully benefit anyone who does it. It's sad how the benefits of being a good person end up so underrated.
"Similar to the Jewish Shabbat, I think everyone should have one fixed, recurring date where they host people at their home with a completely open invitation."
I really enjoy this idea and think that it could easily improve your own life as well as create community.
I came to a similar conclusion: it's likely the highest impact thing that you can do is to increase the social capital of those around you https://passingtime.substack.com/p/the-highest-impact-thing-you-can
Yes! Your post had such a huge impact on me. I remember reading it and thinking, wow, this is so obviously true, important, and overlooked — and also, how lucky Michael's friends are!
Love it. I think of it as the weekly picnic theory of change: host a weekly picnic, be present, generous, and inclusive. And good things happen.
It's funny because while this article is intended to be about the purported benefit to others, all of what you mentioned would also meaningfully benefit anyone who does it. It's sad how the benefits of being a good person end up so underrated.
"Similar to the Jewish Shabbat, I think everyone should have one fixed, recurring date where they host people at their home with a completely open invitation."
I really enjoy this idea and think that it could easily improve your own life as well as create community.
"Most people reflexively dismiss such idealism as leftist nonsense or the product of a mind ungrounded in reality and economics"
This makes me sad, and I hope this isn't really the case.
In fairness, most people advocating for ambitious idealism are not grounded in economics or reality - but yes, this is the distinct vibe I've noticed.