In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam identifies a collapse in American community as a major civic crisis. The essence of this crisis is that Americans no longer engage with one another through activities (such as bowling groups — hence the title), which has diminished the country’s social capital, or value in its social network. In order to rejuvenate America, people must engage in activities which increase Bridging, or connections between differing types of people. Putnam argues largely that this type of activity increases trust and decreases inequality which keep the nation strong.

Something is brewing that could fix all that. Tea With Strangers (http://www.teawithstrangers.com/) is an initiative in its nascency which connects local strangers over tea. The description from the main page reads:

You look at sites like Humans of New York or Upworthy and think they’re super cheesy but you like/comment/share ’em anyway. Then you wonder where the hell these people are in the real world. Your social scene is awesome but it’s starting to feel stale. You’ve tried 3 different Meetup groups before you gave up and resorted to hoping for meaningful encounters at local bars. You can’t remember the last time you had a ‘no strings attached’ conversation. You regularly find yourself wanting to get to know the people around you — your friends, strangers, the barista, your waiter, the dude wearing the funky socks or the girl with the bright yellow pants. Whoever.

The nice thing about Tea With Strangers is that it’s self selective. Lames don’t show up because two hours is a pretty serious commitment for a group of people you don’t know. You’re probably curious about what the conversation is like, what other crazies would show up to sit with a group of strangers. You’re not sure what to expect, but you have a hunch it’ll probably be good. And you have stories to share yourself.

And yes, it’s tempting to just opt for Netflix, do nothing, or just hang with your typical crowd. It’s easier. You know what to expect. And you don’t have to think much. But tea time is kinda like going to the gym. It’s good for ya, you know you’ll be glad you went, and you’re a better person for it. You might go regularly and end up with a six pack, or it might just be a one time thang and you pat yourself on the back for it. Except at tea time, you’re working out your empathy/listening/acceptance/compassion muscles. Still trying to figure out what the analogous six pack is here. But we all want one.

It’s fairly obvious that this is an opportunity for building bridges, but it’s non obvious that it will work as expected, or if it will have a large impact. There are some simple issues with it up front:

• ‘Lames’: These are the people you *won’t* meet here. But will it be an echo chamber? How many people are truly ‘Lames’? Do they need to be bridged to? How can they engage
• Time: 2 hours is a lot of time to ask. I’m able to take it because I am taking a class which expects 12 hours a week, leaving me time to explore and investigate new sources. Perhaps for those less well to do, or busier, this commitment is too grand which cuts them out.
• Tech Circle-Jerk Early Adopters: Like any new technical project, the early adopters are in tech. Will I meet people outside this bubble? (A cursory check on my Facebook page shows that all my friends who like the page are in tech).

In order to evaluate how effective this is, I signed up to go to a meeting on Sunday. I’m posting this now to share my preconceptions, before I experience the reality.

Armed with a slight sense of adventure, and perhaps a notepad and camera, tomorrow I will disembark on a journey.

How many people will be there?

Who will I talk to?

What will I learn?

What kind of tea will I get?

Stay tuned for part 2.