Shared experience
The world seems an angry and distrustful place at the moment. I recognise I can not blame social media for everything but I sense that it does give angry, distrustful and I, suspect, lonely people a voice that they would find nowhere else. In times past I recall that there were anonymous writers of letters who could say what they liked without revealing who they were. These were people who were frightened. Have they something in common with some of those who post on social media?
Is this a symptom of a society where many people feel isolated and alone and do not have meaningful social contact with others? This is the reason why I see that it is important that we encourage activities that allow human beings to discover the joys of working together.
In my youth I played team sports and realised that the success of the team depended on cooperation and the recognition that other team members had different strengths and capabilities that benefited the team. I recognise that in choirs and bands of bell ringing that it is the combination of gifts and capabilities that makes for a successful product. I do wonder whether we promote ringing enough as an opportunity to be an enriching shared experience. I would hope that those who feel left out and isolated and take to social media could be helped by joining a group that seeks to produce something worthwhile together? Ringing could answer some of their needs!
Anthony Ellis