Communal Resources
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#1 Defense against Authoritarianism? Circles of Community.
Those who lived in countries that were overtaken by authoritarian regimes shared their number one recommendation: Be connected to a group of people you know you can trust. This has always been humanity’s greatest strength as we evolved over the millennia facing huge survival challenges. Obviously, industrialization changed those realities. The natural world doesn’t pose as a great a risk to life as it once did. Today our greatest danger is other human beings, particular those dedicated to domination and control, and our greatest risks now will likely come in the effort to stand up to those in power. If You Want to Go Far, Go Together People have to…
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Watch party: Grab your popcorn, relax, and learn how much community groups juice up democratic power.
Knowledge precedes change. Two decades ago Robert Putnam’s groundbreaking book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, showed readers how fundamental community groups were to the health of democracies around the world. For a quick shot of inspiration into why this is true, you can start with this 2023 film that reviews the legacy of the book’s impact and examines the state of American community today: Join or Die: A Film About Why You Should Join a Club (And Why the Fate of America depends on it!). It is available on Netflix. Don’t just think. Do. Powerful ideas can create big waves of attention, but if these ideas…

