a community proving humanity is good

Many of us are feeling a little lost lately, unsure where to turn to get away from the noise. It’s deafening. Our social media, once thought to be a mindless reprieve, can now be a source of paralyzing anxiety. We are at a point in our nation’s history where division may pose our greatest threat. It leaves us seeking inspiration, wondering, “Where do I turn?” and, “How do I make a difference?” We all want to be inspired to take action. But, with so much negativity, knowing where and how to start is almost as overwhelming as pulling up a Facebook feed.

When we started this journey, we weren’t sure exactly what to expect. We believed that people would come along with us on this quest to find purpose through generosity (Purposity), but we didn’t quite conceptualize how quickly our idea would spread.

There’s actually something called the paradox of generosity. Simply stated, it refers to the idea that by not caring for someone else, we end up not caring for ourselves. In fact, there’s a book about it aptly named The Generosity Paradox: Giving We Receive, Grasping We Lose (2014).

You may have noticed a few (actually, quite a few) new options when visiting your Purposity page lately. A few months ago we launched personal profiles. Since then, we’ve been working hard to make sure users got exactly what they asked for. Here’s the list of our newest features, designed with you in mind.

Empathy is the root of human connectivity. It helps us overcome distrust and build a sense of understanding and connection with others. It creates a bond with those from whom we differ which is critical in a deeply-polarized world. In the real world, we tend to stick to what we know, among those that are most like us. But, online, we’re exposed to other points-of-views, ways of life and beliefs. This is a powerful tool…especially when it comes from friends and those we admire.

Technology sometimes gets a bad rep when it comes to how it affects human connectivity. But, it’s not all bad. Sure, there are the constant tug of a bottomless inbox, potential for Facebook drama and the frequent Netflix binges (we’re not judging), but what about all it’s doing for us to strengthen the human connection? In this series, we’ll take a look at the good it can do to enrich our relationships.