What a great read! "Showing up" has been on my mind a lot since the pandemic. As you know, it threw American regional theatres into crisis; by 2023, they were programming 40% fewer shows. Dozens closed altogether. While attendance at Broadway is back up, overall it is such a bigger struggle to get people to get out of their homes to go to bars, restaurants, clubs, performances...you name it. To show up. The pandemic took Robert Putnam's BOWLING ALONE dilemma and magnified it 10x. So I try to show up, for the artistic and social health of my community. There are so many other factors that mitigate against it, however, in addition to the psychological/material changes wrought by the pandemic. Intensive parenting norms means that my social life becomes subordinate to my kids' extracurriculars. Yes, I could choose otherwise, but I only have so much individualistic spirit to buck broader social trends or say no to my kids participating in what for them is the primary way to socialize. Nobody plays on the street anymore, so either my kid sits at home with a babysitter while I go out to a show, or he gets to socialize with other kids through select soccer practice, which I have to take him to. I have many more thoughts, but I'll stop there! Thank you for providing this food for thought (pun intended!)
Joanna, a thousand percent agree with all of this and thank you for sharing. Parental duties and norms are real - and we are so aware that our schedule would be impossible or at least infinitely more complicated if we had kids!
The one part of our schedule that addresses your dilemma is church, which I think is a hugely underutilized and underappreciated resource for families with children. It's a free activity that does not require rsvp or advance registration and provides a platform for children and adults to interact with peers in a safe and controlled and semi-structured environment. And there is almost always food. Of course you have to find a community aligned with your interests and values, but that is not as hard as one might think.
I have been mentally writing a piece about the case for church going and think you may have just given me the right angle for it!
What a great read! "Showing up" has been on my mind a lot since the pandemic. As you know, it threw American regional theatres into crisis; by 2023, they were programming 40% fewer shows. Dozens closed altogether. While attendance at Broadway is back up, overall it is such a bigger struggle to get people to get out of their homes to go to bars, restaurants, clubs, performances...you name it. To show up. The pandemic took Robert Putnam's BOWLING ALONE dilemma and magnified it 10x. So I try to show up, for the artistic and social health of my community. There are so many other factors that mitigate against it, however, in addition to the psychological/material changes wrought by the pandemic. Intensive parenting norms means that my social life becomes subordinate to my kids' extracurriculars. Yes, I could choose otherwise, but I only have so much individualistic spirit to buck broader social trends or say no to my kids participating in what for them is the primary way to socialize. Nobody plays on the street anymore, so either my kid sits at home with a babysitter while I go out to a show, or he gets to socialize with other kids through select soccer practice, which I have to take him to. I have many more thoughts, but I'll stop there! Thank you for providing this food for thought (pun intended!)
Joanna, a thousand percent agree with all of this and thank you for sharing. Parental duties and norms are real - and we are so aware that our schedule would be impossible or at least infinitely more complicated if we had kids!
The one part of our schedule that addresses your dilemma is church, which I think is a hugely underutilized and underappreciated resource for families with children. It's a free activity that does not require rsvp or advance registration and provides a platform for children and adults to interact with peers in a safe and controlled and semi-structured environment. And there is almost always food. Of course you have to find a community aligned with your interests and values, but that is not as hard as one might think.
I have been mentally writing a piece about the case for church going and think you may have just given me the right angle for it!
Pouring one out for Shuggie’s 🥲
I know!! I remember your visit well.
Green Room right?
Yup!