Hobbyist Academia #36

People feel increasingly isolated and disconnected from neighbors, friends, coworkers, and communities. There are many solutions, but this is mine: be a connector, across the digital and in person realms of our hybrid reality.

In my last newsletter, I shared my emerging big picture thread. It’s a systems thinking approach to building relationships and creating feelings of genuine connectedness in a hybrid world.

I’ve been searching for a concise word or phrase that expresses all of that- something that brings it all together and clicks for people. Looking back, it feels like the phrase How to Be a Connector has been there all along. Many people describe me as a connector. It’s something that’s second nature to me; I do it without even realizing sometimes.

A connector is someone who connects people with each other- the right people at the right moment- and a connector is also someone who connects with other people. A connector amplifies communities, friend groups, and the individual friendships that comprise them.

I know it’s not something that comes naturally to everyone, but it’s something that can be learned and I think I can be the one to share that knowledge.

All of that being said, I also want to keep sharing media recommendations here that don’t strictly relate to being a connector but still relate to the intersection of digital sociology, design, business, and personal development. I might call these “related curiosities”.

Read

I’ve been enjoying a new newsletter called Departure. A recent edition about “non-negotiables when visiting a new place” is a how-to in designing genuine connectedness into your travel plans by creating opportunities for local neighborhood experiences in a new city and using technology in a connective way. It applies a digital sociology lens to experiencing a new place and forging initial connections.

I found an excellent article about bookstores via Daniel Benneworth-Gray’s newsletter. New research indicates that young people are trending toward shopping for books in person specifically because it offers a better experience than discovering new reading material via online feeds and algorithms. Browsing bookstores brings people joy, and the opportunity to connect with an actual person recommending a book.

I recently discovered two new-to-me LinkedIn newsletters on the topic of connection: Baily Hancock’s The 3Cs Digest (community, connection, and collaboration) and Connected by Susan McPherson.

A recent edition of LetterbyLoes highlights how to focus on emotional impact in your interactions- including the newsletter’s signature visual explainer.

Engage and Interact

The Slowdown introduced a refreshed newsletter format over the weekend that offers a nice entry to the full scope of their multimedia company. Newsletter editions will tie into episodes of their podcast, Time Sensitive, and will include interviews, media recommendations, and behind-the-scenes reflections from building The Slowdown.

Save This for Later

Social health expert Kasley Killam gave a TED talk last month. I’m looking forward to watching the recording when it comes out!

An eclectic mix of books for the To Read list:

• The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships by Susan McPherson (this one was on the list from a few years ago but I re-discovered it!)

• Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities by Susie Wise

• Creating a Life Worth Living by Carol Lloyd

• Third Millennium Thinking: Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense by Saul Perlmutter, John Campbell, and Robert MacCoun

• How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Kari Leibowitz

For more, check out The Collection on my website for curated media recommendations at the intersection of digital sociology, design, business, and personal development.

[I will receive a small commission should you purchase a book using the Bookshop links included in the newsletter. Bookshop is an Amazon-alternative online bookseller that supports independent bookstores in your local community.]