In a period where so much has slowed down or ground to a halt, previous definitions and metrics feel strange and irrelevant. Beyond the application of our past perspectives, it seems only natural to conclude that where there was once something, so radical a series of losses must leave nothing. Where there once was someone, doing a series of tasks and pursuing a variety of lives, there must now be no one. This is, however tempting the thought, not the truth - which is something far more encouraging.
Episode 265: A Lonely Grandma's Plea
How would we each respond to a call for help? Some might say they’d leap to the aid of their fellow person, while others would request more information about the hypothetical. In the era of the internet, given vast distances and anonymity, these circumstances are more complicated than ever before. And over the 2019 holiday season, and elder woman named Carrie from Tulsa, Oklahoma learned precisely how blunt the response can be. Lonely and seeking a family to share the spirit of the season with, her Craigslist ad was primarily met with hostility, suspicion and ridicule. How should we evaluate our social norms and dynamics given the prevalence of vehemence here? What can we learn about the sensitive dynamic between compassion and caution? What might this event indicate about an increasingly digital world?
