Social group membership prolongs life

[Hope]

There was a brief reference to this issue on this morning's BBC Breakfast Show, though I can't find anything on the topic on the BBC website.  However, when I googled the idea 3 or 4 scholarly papers popped up - but most dating from the late-1990s - early 2000s, si it doesn't seem to be that new an idea.

However, the examples given seem to be physical, face2face, situations, and I wondered whether the principle is applicable to a virtual group membership such as we have here?

Any thoughts?

[floo]

There was a brief reference to this issue on this morning's BBC Breakfast Show, though I can't find anything on the topic on the BBC website.  However, when I googled the idea 3 or 4 scholarly papers popped up - but most dating from the late-1990s - early 2000s, si it doesn't seem to be that new an idea.

However, the examples given seem to be physical, face2face, situations, and I wondered whether the principle is applicable to a virtual group membership such as we have here?

Any thoughts?

I would have thought that as forums can bring out the worst in people, and raise the blood pressure substantially, they were likely to shorten one's life!

[L.A.]

There was a brief reference to this issue on this morning's BBC Breakfast Show, though I can't find anything on the topic on the BBC website.  However, when I googled the idea 3 or 4 scholarly papers popped up - but most dating from the late-1990s - early 2000s, si it doesn't seem to be that new an idea.

However, the examples given seem to be physical, face2face, situations, and I wondered whether the principle is applicable to a virtual group membership such as we have here?

Any thoughts?

Virtual groups have limited usefulness and are no substitute for meeting real people. The U3A seems pretty successful.

[Brownie]

Hope: " ...I wondered whether the principle is applicable to a virtual group membership such as we have here?"


Not really, no.  Internet forums are better than nothing and discussion/debate stimulates the intellect but we are all, presumably, sitting down  .  We don't have to travel to meet up, or move around much when we're here, nor plan to meet up and go out together at any time which is what happens with real social groups.

Floo's point about disagreements (my paraphrase) is quite valid though it's far easier to not engage with, or to walk away from, them on forums than in reality.  In everyday life, most of us don't argue with acquaintances about religion or even mention the subject!

[Nearly Sane]

Communities though haven't had to be physical since the telephone. The ability to reach out, and be reached to is something that even a virtual community can achieve, never mind that as a result of this I get to be all spiritual with Gordon and Gonnagle.


The question about virtual communities for me is that there seems to a lack of conscious choice, and a wider set of accepted behaviour. I raised the idea of this forum as a virtual pub sometime ago when there was discussion about what was acceptable behaviour. With the virtual world you get to sit as close to the bigot in the corner as to your amazingly charming friends.


I think designing a study on the benefits would be complex in the extreme. Our whole idea of community has been changed by the communications revolution. Anyone who has read the many descriptions of the impact of Bowie singing Starman on ToTP, will again and again read of the idea that it meant you knew you were not alone in being what you felt which seems to highlight that previous communities were failing some.

Part of the idea of community is in the end exclusion to some otherwise there is no coherence. Perhaps the benefits seen in studies are actually disbenefits for those who feel the breath of sadness, those who find they're touched by madness, those who find themselves ridiculous

[Hope]

I think I posed the idea because whenever someone has been ill, been through a trauma, or whatever, there seems to have been a a real effort at support.  For instance, following my stroke, Floo produced a stunning piece of digital artwork for me and I believe she has done the same for others.

[Nearly Sane]

I think I posed the idea because whenever someone has been ill, been through a trauma, or whatever, there seems to have been a a real effort at support.  For instance, following my stroke, Floo produced a stunning piece of digital artwork for me and I believe she has done the same for others.

And yet even with moderation it is a rare day where someone on here isn't called deluded, liar, stupid. It's an odd community and one that is as per earlier posts exclusionary, as communities are, but virtual ones seem to work to a differing set of rules.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Hope,

I think I posed the idea because whenever someone has been ill, been through a trauma, or whatever, there seems to have been a a real effort at support.  For instance, following my stroke, Floo produced a stunning piece of digital artwork for me and I believe she has done the same for others.

Indeed she has, and it is to our Floo I now turn.

Dear Floo,

I would have thought that as forums can bring out the worst in people, and raise the blood pressure substantially, they were likely to shorten one's life!

And the best Floo, if only we had thought of a Forum Best Bits on the good old Beeb.

There might be something in this "forum prolonging life", for me it certainly keeps the old grey cells turning.

Gonnagle.

[Brownie]

Gonnagle, I agree with you about the old Beeb forum, it was terrific.  Those were the days.  Floo (Tangnefedd) was great on there, lively and fun, one of the most popular posters.  Maybe it was so good because it was new to all of us.  I know I was hooked.

Hope, people do rally round on forums when someone has a problem, that is a positive that still happens.