Sharing a coffee with a local + the power of gossip + Being a member of the community + responsibility to contribute to the commons or common good + To question will practically result in the marginalisation...
Anonymity and community
Sharing a coffee with a local is not about the drink per se. It is a ritual of sorts. A rite of passage from stranger to acquaintance.
The person got to know me better. I can expect that through the power of gossip this knowledge is already spreading among others and each such encounter will reverberate across the community. To this end, I am not surprised when someone I do not know greets me with “you live down the river, right?” They know. And I have learnt that it is all about keeping the windows open.
Being a member of the community means that you have the responsibility to contribute to the common good. At minimum, you must conduct yourself with integrity and not violate the prevailing norms. Rules matter greatly, regardless of what we may think of them. They cannot be altered unilaterally and must thus be taken as immutable in scenaria where only a single agent opposes them. Norms are still human in origin, hence mutable. That they may appear sacrosanct is due to their shared presence and affirmation in the minds of the community’s members, who will act in a way that enforces the substantive parts of the rule. Norms form the basis of the community’s identity. To question them is to confront the community as such, which will practically result in the marginalisation of the offender.
The benefit of belonging to a community is that you get support from volunteers who are eager to help without asking for anything in return. Each member of the community has a duty to do some public service for the continued wellness of the commons. Concretely, I was at home the other day and was working on the computer. A villager drove by, parked the car in front of the hut, came to my room and told me that they brought some construction materials that I could use to seal off my walls for the coming winter. I never asked for any of this and did not tell this person about my needs (I must indeed reinforce the construction and make all sorts of improvements, which is apparent from the outside). Yet it happened and I am thankful to have received this kind of help.
Exchanges of this sort are not transactional. I do not have to give anything back to that person. Instead, I must learn from their example. When I have the chance, I too will offer something to someone who may be in need of it. Perhaps I can train their dog, fix their computer, provide a helping hand in some construction work… It does not matter what it is. The importance is to not be a strictly private person in a milieu where anonymity is perceived as a threat. Participate however you can, even a little bit, and be relaxed about it.
Anonymity and community
https://protesilaos.com/commentary/2023-09-19-anonymity-community/
