Photo by Dio Hasbi Saniskoro

The Spiritual Freedom Press, run by Chet Shupe, calls for a radical shift in how civilization is perceived and what must be done to return to the evolutionary roots of humanity.

There is no concrete definition of a community other than a gathering of individuals. 

One thing that remains true, though, is that a community’s foundation is and always will be the people that make it up. Without people, there can be no such thing as community. While a community might be difficult to identify solidly, almost all communities share the same process of establishment and intention. Another thing is that the community is a fluid concept and can encompass several things.

A community can be diversely created, either virtually, physically, or, growing in number, both. It is where common interests, goals, and experiences are shared and exchanged and where people connect and work towards a common goal.

Why Community Building is Integral to the Human Experience

Community is, undoubtedly, foundational to the human experience. Human beings are social animals. This means that interacting with other human beings is essential to being human. No man is an island, as they say. As such, being in a community and possessing a sense of being in a community helps humans learn more about each other and themselves and grow as individuals and societies. 

It is this absence amongst a large glut of the global population that has led to a decline in spirituality, social bonds, and communal understanding. Community building is the first step towards regaining these essential aspects of being human.

There is Interconnectivity in the Community

As social animals, humans like to be in spaces where they can interact well with other humans. This does not mean simply knowing each other’s names and such but creating reciprocal and deep relationships with others. It is through community that humans acquire an understanding of being a part of something greater than themselves. Without community, individuals lose a sense of oneness with the broader world and get overwhelmed by feelings of loss and isolation.

It is vital that community building promotes connection, so the necessary infrastructure for camaraderie, family, and solidary exists.

There is an Exchange of Experiences in the Community

One of the things that elevate humans above animals is their ability to share experiences and impart them to others. It is through this communal bartering of memories and experiences that people learn more about the world without ever encountering what is being spoken about. This allows them to make use of their minds for creativity and develop plans of action if ever the scenario presents itself in the real world. No one person can experience everything by themselves, but with community, something infinitesimally close can occur.

It is through communities that the sharing of experiences can be more effectively facilitated and conducted.

There is Learning in the Community

Another thing that brings humans to the top is their ability to create information and share these nuggets with other people. Without the ability to learn from each other, civilization would never have begun–and the ancestors of modern humans would have been left in the thick jungles of Sub-Saharan Africa as nothing more than tree-dwelling apes. Through the exchange of information, bodies of knowledge are created, from which wisdom and truth are extrapolated.

It is only in the community can collective learning occurs, where everyone receives the chance to develop their cognition.

There is Growth and Innovation in the Community

Although the philosophical outlook of individualism reigns supreme, at least in the Western world, it is only with communal collectivism that much of human progress happens. It was not one person that began the agricultural and industrial revolutions. It was not one person that brought Apollo-11 to the moon. It is only when the community prospers do individuals have the capacity to grow further. When all members of the community are growing, this leads to a larger pool of ingenuity, meaning innovation becomes much easier.

It is through communities that people and ideas clash and intersect, creating novel ways of looking at the world and more.

The Spiritual Freedom Press was established by Chet Shupe with the intent of looking at contemporary civilization and examining why it is in decline, and developing ideas that would help alleviate many of society’s current problems.

Learn more about authors and their works at the Authors’ Lounge.