Rosieland Roundup 253 — dying social media, friction, Mozi

👋 Welcome to another week in community building, the one newsletter to keep you informed and educated.

🌈 On Rosieland this week:

Mozi is a social app — not in the sense of “social media.” But in the sense of interacting with other people and building relationships.

In fact, it’s not a media app at all. There is no posting photos or videos or liking or following. There are no influencers — except your friend who may influence you to meet up for a coffee when you’re in town.

The primary value proposition of Mozi (today) is simple: It lets you know when you’re going to be in the same place (city or event) as someone you know. And the goal is straightforward: to connect more often—and in person—with the people you care about.

We have to get better at trusting our gut when we feel fake attempts at community.

Not long ago, we hoped that these artificial gathering places could be robust, vital replacements for the neighborhoods we tore down. But what I’ve learned is that you pay a heavy price for replacing a real community with a fake one.

And that brings me to the subject of social media platforms—which increasingly resemble these old, decrepit malls.

They are the ultimate fake community centers. This makes them vulnerable, despite all the current visitors and lurkers and noise.

It’s not just churches: why closed communities like sport and youth groups can harbour abuse | The Conversation

Yeah, sorry for the topic. It's a hard topic. Wherever there is power, there is potential for it to be abused. This could extend to anywhere people gather regularly, professional working environments are likely over looked from this perspective. Companies are communities too.

Communities should feel safe, sadly, they often don't.

Rethink: Is friction the oxygen of community? | Rachel Botsman

Friction — a moment of difficulty, surprise, or shared challenge — acts as a catalyst for connection and trust. Whether it’s helping someone or tackling a tough task together, these shared experiences deepen bonds. By systematically removing friction for the benefit of efficiency, we risk losing opportunities for meaningful social interactions.

GoodGym

This is uch a good thing to have a community for! We run, walk, and cycle to help local community organisations and isolated older people by doing practical tasks.

🛠️ Tools

Heylo: Bring your people togetherSay goodbye to endless emails and chat messages. And say hey to Heylo – the platform that makes your group sustainable for you and engaging for your members.
GoToSocial: A fast, fun, ActivityPub server