One Common Community
Another of Chrysippus’s ethical breakthroughs was to develop the Stoic idea of sympatheia built on Zeno’s belief that we all belong to one common community, which encourages us to meditate on the interconnectedness of all persons and our shared citizenship in the cosmos.
~Lives of the Stoics, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
“We stand with… <insert current city/nation that has endured or is enduring terrible tragedy>”
Social media activism is so easy. All you have to do is make a statement that you are in support of somebody or some location that is going through something awful, change your profile picture and respond to people who have something to say about it. It doesn’t require anything of us, besides using our “platforms” to spread awareness. I think that’s why so many people like it.
I don’t mean to downplay this by any stretch of the imagination. Certainly, we can be vocal about our support of those in need, but when that’s all we do, what are we really doing?
Some people would call it virtue signaling, and do so derisively. Honestly, though, what’s the alternative? Vice signaling? Well, I guess plenty of people do that too.
Others are doing all they can do. For example, with everything that’s gone on around the world in the last few years (not to mention the most recent international crisis in Ukraine), there’s not a whole lot that regular people, like you and me, can do. We can voice our support, and perhaps send financial assistance to the various organizations that are helping out, but that’s about the limit. We can stay informed.
But I think one of the most important things that happens in times like this is that we realize we are part of a wider community.
I saw a while back somebody make a comment that the recent pandemic has been the worst group project in the history of the world. We certainly know who would be carrying the group and who is trying to get a free ride. The bottom line, however, whether we want to or not, we are all part of a larger community. We are all part of something bigger.
And that’s why the constant state of divisiveness in our nation and world is so exhausting. Eventually, people need to realize that we are all in this together. Even the morons who think it is so hilarious to chant “Let’s Go Brandon!” are part of the larger community. Okay, I admit, calling them “morons” is probably not the best way to demonstrate what I’m talking about here. I’m sorry. You know what I mean, though.
We need to realize that we are all in this boat together. Sure, it can stand a little rocking from time to time. It can stand a course correction here and there. But when we start throwing people off, thinking that it will keep the boat from sinking when all we really have to do is patch the hole, then we’ve taken things too far. I think that’s where we are as a society right now. It’s not ideal. It’s not good. And we need to find a way back. Perhaps reflecting on the interconnectedness of all humanity is the way to do it.
