This is really cool. DJ talks about four ways we can explore and enhance our community interactions by modifying the small talk we are already engaged in. He begins by proposing that small talk reflects what we care about in our culture. This makes sense. You talk about what you know and what you know is likely to be what you most care about. The four points he mentions, in order, are: news, creativity, purchases, and relationships.
News - We all pay varying amounts of attention to national and international news, but we can usually best affect the local news, what is actually happening in our own neighborhoods.
Creativity - We often talk about the latest television episodes or movies we've seen, but we rarely talk about our own creative pursuits. If we ask friends what they are doing to be creative, we learn more about each other, strengthen bonds, and potentially find opportunities for collaboration.
Purchases - In our consumer culture, we often talk about the latest products on the market and the purchases we've made, but we rarely talk about our "old" purchases and what we are doing with them these days. We may have something that we no longer use that someone else may find useful. Participating in clothing/craft/what-have-you swaps is one fun way to decrease our levels of consumerism and build our communities at the same time.
Relationships - It's easy to gossip; it's more difficult (and more rewarding) to talk about your current relationship(s) with the people with whom you are making small talk. There is no rule that says we must only talk about our romantic relationships. Why not talk about our community-based relationships? Community-based relationship can be just as difficult to form as romantic relationships and just as integral to our happiness.
These four suggestions are simple, yet often overlooked, ways to build our communities. They also beg for a discussion of community-based intimacy. Look for that post in future updates of this blog.
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