Have you been talking with people older than you?
I went to talk with a “Seniors’ Community Group”.
In this group, people are encouraged to learn to live with each other’s diversity and limitations. And I was invited to share a bit about my lifestyle: I work from a computer, manage a team remotely, live in an ecovillage in the middle of the forest, love writing poetry, and devote myself to spiritual studies…
During the conversation, I realized how important it is to practice communicating with the older version of ourselves.
The group kept asking questions about my life. I would tell my stories, and they would add how it all related to their own lives, their views, experiences, and curiosities.
When I described my life at the ecovillage, for example, many participants fondly remembered their own experiences in nature, or the stories of their parents and grandparents. That nostalgia created a special connection — almost as if I were talking with my own grandparents, who are no longer here.
Weak ties, valuable connections
We’re always trying to replicate our own ideas and social circles, but talking with people from different generations offers us a unique and essential perspective. On social networks themselves, digital or in person, we’re constantly surrounding ourselves with people who think like us or who validate what we’re already doing.
This experience got me reflecting on the “Theory of Weak Ties”, proposed by sociologist Mark Granovetter. According to this theory, our most valuable connections for new information and opportunities are often the ones we have with people outside our closest social circle. These “weak ties” expose us to different perspectives and knowledge, broadening our worldview and making us more adaptable and innovative.
The group’s main purpose is socializing among themselves, but I believe we, as a society, should seek out this kind of interaction far more actively. The exchange was so valuable that I feel I gained much more than I could offer.
Originally published on my Instagram in July 2024.