Even before the COVID-19 pandemic shattered our routines and opportunities to gather, the US was experiencing a loneliness crisis. More than 60% of people were struggling with loneliness — a greater percentage than those living with diabetes. Now, as normalcy resumes, it’s crucial to find meaningful ways to remedy social isolation.
During Eventbrite’s RECONVENE summit, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy joined Priya Parker, acclaimed author of “The Art of Gathering,” in a conversation about how event creators are uniquely positioned to rekindle connection when we need it most.
As Murthy said, speaking directly to creators: “You are helping stitch together the social fabric of society at a time when it has frayed. We need to come back together again, and our gatherings can help us do that.”
Eventbrite is committed to helping people feel less isolated and more connected through the power of live experiences. Learn more about our Social Connection Project.
Read on for a teaser of key takeaways from Dr. Vivek Murthy and Priya Parker’s talk.
A few factors are driving the loneliness epidemic
Many people live apart from the communities they grew up with, Murthy said, which can contribute to loneliness. Technology also plays a role: Consider how disconnected you might feel if everyone at your dinner table is on their phone.
Cultural values matter, too. “When we teach young people what they need to be successful in the world, it’s often centered around the acquisition of power, wealth, or fame,” Murthy said. “One of the things that dropped out of the conversation is the importance of human connection.” Instead of making people feel OK about prioritizing their relationships over career advancement, for example, we make them feel “like somehow they lost a step.”
Anyone can suffer from loneliness
Loneliness can impact people of any age group, Murthy stressed — including both introverts and extroverts. It’s incredibly common, and not something to feel shame about. Loneliness is “a natural response to feeling like we don’t have enough connection in our life — and connection is something we need to survive.” That’s where event creators come in.
There are easy ways to design an event to foster connection
We can be with other people and still feel disconnected, Parker emphasized — or excluded or isolated. Parker shared tips for designing events for connection: Think about a need your community has, and gather around that. Then, give people context and meaning about why they’re coming together and how they might connect with each other. Murthy agreed: “Simple tools and a little structure can help people open up.”
If you feel anxious about organizing an event by yourself, share the burden
It can be nerve-wracking to host a gathering or an event, no matter the scale, Parker acknowledged. The simplest way to overcome that is to share the burden. “Ask someone to help you host it, or give your guests roles — a potluck is the oldest-school version of sharing the burden,” she said. Or instead of individually organizing a community festival or volunteer event, enlist a co-volunteer.
If you’re wondering if you should launch a series of book talks for your community, for example, ask one or two other people to help you execute it. “And then all of a sudden, you’re sharing it,” Parker said. “That’s practice. It creates the habit, not just for you, but within the communities you’re embedded in.”
For additional tips from Eventbrite’s ongoing RECONVENE events series, visit our recaps hub.
