Thanks to all the new readers for signing up for The Reliants Project newsletter! Here are some nuggets about how networks shape your wellbeing, relationships and community to help you actively cultivate yours.
Latest News
If you’re eager to understand some of the concepts that are fundamental to networks, The Reliants Project website has you covered. I’ve added 9 key concepts so far, like McCabe’s Friend Networks shown above. You can even request a handy pdf version of the whole set.
Also, two new episodes of The Reliants Project podcast are live since the last newsletter:
Wellbeing
The impact of social isolation on children can vary greatly. However, recent research suggests that it is disproportionately affecting children of black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds. The analysis is by Kooth, an online mental health support service for children and young people. They found that 44% more BAME children and young people sought advice from their service in March, April and May of this year than during the same time frame last year.
“Of particular concern is the disparity we are seeing between BAME young people and their non-BAME counterparts. Sense of stability and control has been threatened for everyone during this pandemic. For our young people, whether in the middle of puberty or approaching adulthood, this is hitting hard. Depression and anxiety generally go hand in hand with feelings of hopelessness and dread of what might lie ahead.”
Relationships
If I asked who you confide in, you’d likely list the people you are closest to; family members, partners, and close friends. Research by Mario Small at Harvard proves otherwise. In his book, Someone To Talk To: How Networks Matter In Practice, he shares his insights on how people choose who they open up to. He shows how close relationships are often complex and full of expectations, which make it difficult for us to open up to these individuals. He finds that in practice, people will often confide in acquaintances, strangers and even competitors!
“In fact, approaching individuals they are not especially close to appears to be what adult Americans do more than half the time they confide in others. Their decisions, in the end, are motivated less by affection than by pragmatism…”
Community
You may have come across this gem that is making the rounds, recorded from a lecture given by anthropologist Margaret Mead. This version is from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand, the first known reference to the anecdote back in 1980:
“She asked the question, ‘What is the earliest sign of civilization?’ A clay pot? Iron? Tools? Agriculture? No, she claimed. To her, evidence of the earliest true civilization was a healed femur, a leg bone, which she held up before us in the lecture hall. She explained that such healings were never found in the remains of competitive, savage societies…the healed femur showed that someone must have cared for the injured person—hunted on his behalf, brought him food, and served him at personal sacrifice.”
Like what you read? If so, please share this with someone you think would benefit:
About The Reliants Project
Reliant is my word for a person that someone depends on, an essential component of our social networks. With each edition, I’ll share useful nuggets about how networks shape your wellbeing, relationships and community to help you actively cultivate yours. Whether you want to cultivate your relationships, make better introductions, or activate networks to make an impact in the world, let me help you reach your goals.
You can find more about The Reliants Project here.