Are fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons the cure for America's loneliness epidemic?
While the article is mostly about the popularity of D&D streamers and their audience, I think that the question is more poignant than ever.
Twenty years ago I had community in my TTRPG groups, community in my local Linux User Groups. I wasn't involved my local Jewish community then, but that would have been an option as well.
Today it seems there are fewer communal activities and more of us are suffering from loneliness.
What are your sources of in person community? TTRPGS? Jewish groups? Tech groups? Something else?
If you wanted to start a local group like this, how would you begin?
serge
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I completely agree with the need for building robust in-person communities! I think you can point to the recent growth of the tabletop hobby as evidence of a strong demand for tactile interaction and human connection after the isolated pandemic years. For me, an ideal communal activity is sitting down with my friends and playing a complex strategy board game like Scythe or Root. These games can get pretty competitive and heated, and this makes for wonderful shared memories of shifting alliances, soaring victories and crushing defeats.
I'm in charge of a Gothy local group here in Berlin- we try to do meet ups regularly, and totally allow people to make their own hangouts!
I'm a huge proponent of "it it doesn't exist yet, make it happen" when it comes to communities.