toma on communal
via toma bedolla fb share ( Here’s our piece on Forbes where we’re recognized for trying to do something about locality and turning people who share a zip-code into thriving communities.) – may 2023 forbes article on toma & communal – No Matter How Advanced Technology Gets It Won’t Overcome Our Need For Human Connection – by Joe Toscano @realjoet (author of Automating Humanity and featured in the social dilemma) – [https://www.forbes.com/sites/joetoscano1/2023/05/22/no-matter-how-advanced-technology-gets-it-wont-overcome-our-need-for-human-connection/?sh=22f97db15176]:
In understanding *what robots will never be able to do it is essential we revisit the things that give us purpose in life—human connections and the essence of community..t To do this, I spoke to local Canon City, Colorado resident, Toma Bedolla, Co-Founder and CEO of Communal, about what drove him to move to rural Colorado and what he’s been up to that makes him so excited about Canon City.
*huge.. what they can’t.. but also what they can.. to me what we need for legit global detox/re\set.. (because to me.. has to be all of us for the dance to dance.. otherwise 1\ perpetuate myth of tragedy and lord and 2\ takes a lot of work ness)..
ie: tech as it could be.. ai as augmenting interconnectedness as nonjudgmental expo labeling)
mufleh humanity law: we have seen advances in every aspect of our lives except our humanity– Luma Mufleh
Take Canon City, Colorado for example, a small town with a population of roughly 17,000 that possesses walkable access to white-water rafting, mountain biking, and world-class bouldering, among other attractions. Local business owners and service providers are the foundation of this little town. A stroll down Main Street at 8:00 am and you’ll get to see the people who make this city click come out to wake up with each other, catch up about their families and life, then go out to their storefront or hop in their truck to turn on the lights of Cañon City.
nice.. adding to suggested cities.. year ? – a people experiment et al
“While small cities often bear the stereotype of feeling limited and disconnected, they possess the untapped potential to redefine themselves and embrace their unique qualities,” said Bedolla..t It’s why his new company, Communal, described as a community engine, *aims to catalyze the collaborative collisions of people and businesses that share a zip code with events and experiences to transform the city into a thriving community..t
*need 1st/most: means to undo our hierarchical listening to self/others/nature so we can org around legit needs
ie: imagine if we listened to the itch-in-8b-souls 1st thing everyday & used that data to connect us
Bedolla described the motivation driving him, “The bunker mentality that was amplified by the pandemic has far too many of us living life through Amazon delivery and social media timelines. We’ve all been pushed into a techno-utopia that’s been great for Big Tech’s stock prices but has, ultimately, dislocated the heart from our humanity—the warm, human connection that is community. That can’t be the final destination of humanity’s evolution. Can it?”
actually two missing pieces that we need in order to org around legit needs
Embracing Human Connection and Community
We’re entering our third epoch of an Internet-enabled world with the introduction of AI. The first was the introduction of the world wide web. Businesses and individuals established their presence with e-commerce websites and personal blogs. This initial establishment of the web led us into what Bedolla calls “the social phase” where we started to create a second life online. “We revealed how we are all connected or wish to be connected on various platforms and networks. The divisions and tribalism that were already present were amplified and reinforced. We found ways to fit in and validate our ways of thinking, our ways of living, and our need to be validated. What’s next? Understanding who and what to trust.”
*The importance of human connections, inclusivity, and collective well-being cannot be understated, especially in an age of dis- and misinformation. If we head into a world where we can’t trust anything that’s not in front of our face, we will **struggle to maintain a democracy across nation-states and large populations. But this isn’t as true for small towns and local communities that have lived with, and by, each other for millennia. As Douglas Rushkoff recently stated in his book Survival of the Richest, “Being human is not about individual survival or escape. It’s a team sport. Whatever future humans have, it will be together.”
*1 of 2 maté basic needs – we need to org around those 2 legit needs
**cancerous distraction.. any form of democratic admin.. any form of m\a\p
douglas rushkoff.. et al
*To foster strong community bonds and prioritized human-centric development, Communal is bringing events to rural communities like Canon City that are focused on food, music, and experiential education.. t—things machines won’t be great at for some time to come, if ever—to showcase the best of our humanity, **things we mutually need or crave, to turn our connections into engagement and shared experience..t ***Technology connects without bias and so should we..t
*need a legit diff experiment
seen advances in every aspect of our lives except our humanity– Luma Mufleh
**need 1st/most: means to undo our hierarchical listening to self/others/nature so we can org around legit needs.. that 8b people already crave
we need a problem deep enough to resonate (we already crave) w/8bn today.. a mechanism simple enough to be accessible/usable to 8bn today.. and an ecosystem open enough to set/keep 8bn legit free
ie: org around a problem deep enough (aka: org around legit needs) to resonate w/8bn today.. via a mechanism simple enough (aka: tech as it could be) to be accessible/usable to 8bn today.. and an ecosystem open enough (aka: sans any form of m\a\p) to set/keep 8bn legit free
***huge.. that’s the thing we need tech for .. tech w/o judgment et al .. ai as nonjudgmental expo labeling so we can have a legit global detox/re\set
1\ undisturbed ecosystem (common\ing) can happen
2\ if we create a way to ground the chaos of 8b legit free people
Kicking Off The Connection
Beginning in June, Communal will start hosting weekly farmer’s markets and gatherings that showcase local farmers, ranchers, and service providers that exist in and around Canon City to enable the locals and visitors there to get everything possible, locally, before they have to search elsewhere or lean on the Amazons of the world to meet their needs. The goal is to start in rural but to build a system that can be applied to urban areas just the same through a system Bedolla is Communal is defining as a Locality Score™, a score that resembles the FICO model we all use for financial credibility. The idea is to give the community something to make informed decisions on what businesses they wish to engage and support in the spirit of local vitality.
perhaps let’s try/code money (any form of measuring/accounting) as the planned obsolescence w/ubi as temp placebo.. where legit needs are met w/o money.. till people forget about measuring
ie: ubi as temp placebo.. (people thinking they have money when really just getting whatever they legit need.. till they forget about measuring)
In so doing, Communal hopes to empower each city or urban borough to be sustainable both economically and in terms of quality of life for everyone. Communal wants to turn connections into engagement. To bring a sense of belonging to everyone. If successful, Communal may very well validate the farm-to-table or farm-to-fork, local-first branding that taps into our emotional loyalty to the places we choose to live and call home.
In a world captivated by techno-solutionism and a relentless pursuit of post-human transcendence, small cities can serve as beacons of human connection, community resilience, and collective well-being. By embracing their unique identities and harnessing the power of technology in a human-centric way, these cities can create an atmosphere that captivates both residents and visitors alike. As we navigate the future, it is essential to remember that our shared humanity and the connections we forge are the true drivers of a fulfilling and sustainable society.
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be you. 