Un-processing Relationships
In general, human beings are amazing (there is of course the odd exception); we support each other, teach each other, learn from each other, care for and love each other, and generally look out for each other. It’s a wonderful thing, humanity, and should be celebrated.
At the other end of course, there’s loneliness and isolation, and as modern life rapidly ‘progresses’ we seem intent on engineering out opportunities for real human interaction. Just like we’ve had processed food and processed movement (think late-night stationary bike in an artificially-lit gym whilst staring at a screen that’s feeding you nonsense) ... we’ve unwittingly slipped into processed relationships.
What started out as online chat forums and progressed to ‘social’ media, is now merging smoothly into AI companions that we share our innermost thoughts with. Just like processing the nutrients out of food and selling it back to us in tablet form didn’t work ... and processing movement out of daily life then selling it back to us in gym membership form didn’t work … processing the humanity out of humanity and selling it back to us in AI form will have equally dire effects.
And this is where community sport & physical activity comes into play. Inherent in its design is the need to actually engage with real people, do real things, and in a positive and constructive way that fosters societal cohesion and togetherness. It feeds our souls and enables all the good things that come naturally to us, if only we have the right environment.
And that’s why Chris Lomax MBE and I are on this mission; celebrating the best that community sport and physical activity has to offer, and helping it to spread all around the world, bringing people together to support, teach, learn from, care for, love, and generally look out for each other.
On that theme, it was great to spend time this week with Hussain Al-Zubaidi, Ben Monro from the brilliant I Speak Football project, Alistair Brownlee MBE to chat sport diplomacy and hear about the The Brownlee Foundation, Steve Denison, Mel Bound (good luck at tomorrow's Lakeland 50), Rachel Lindley of the brilliant Five Talents UK, Tristan Batley-Kyle from the equally brilliant Jane Tomlinson's Run For All, and the wonderful Hannah Corne who's taking on Ironman Leeds this Sunday. Thanks all for being brilliant humans, and keeping me company whilst Chris is on holiday!
📸 Catching up with our parkrun friends (and my exceptional previous colleagues) at Dewsbury parkrun last Saturday, to celebrate the impending wedding (today actually) of Debbie & Amanda.