The Communal High We Didn't Know We Needed:
Stanley Cup, World Cup, and Collective Effervescence

The Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup win brought over 180,000 people together to celebrate. The city felt electric, joy was contagious, and watching the players celebrate made it feel like the whole city was part of the team. The Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup spurred conversations with strangers that seemed normal. Living in a city riding a winning high for the past couple of weeks has collectively boosted everyone's mood. Pair that with the World Cup to keep the energy going. Millions of international visitors have traveled to the US to watch futbol — or soccer — matches, and cities have felt more alive than ever. I don't consider myself a sports fan — except for hockey, because it's always kept my attention — but I see the value in having a team to cheer for, a reason to bring people together, and feeling energetically connected.

Intertwined: You, Me, Us. Individuals impact society, and society impacts individuals. Individualistic societies emphasize freedom, self-actualization, and achievement, while collectivist societies emphasize shared responsibilities, group harmony, and interdependence. Since we're in an individualistic society — the US is considered the most individualistic in the world — we tend to focus on personal experiences, feelings, and needs. We demand more of ourselves than ever before. What if we broke out of our individualistic ways to form a more connected society?

Émile Durkheim coined the term collective effervescence, describing it as a synergistic transcendence shared in a communal experience. This state sparks a sense of aliveness, awe, or shared meaning. These experiences represent a communal vitamin B-12 injection for society, giving us a type of energy we didn't realize we needed. Most of us know the experience of brain fog from chronic screen scrolling, feeling stuck in a job or relationship, or chronically feeling "blah." Distractions aplenty have become the modern way to survive the days.

Why This Matters: Allowing ourselves to get lost in a sense of awe provides a reprieve from the constant conversations with me, myself, and I. Losing a sense of self in collective environments can be healthy for individuals. Sharing identity, attention, and mission creates the sense that we're not alone. A Stanley Cup parade created the felt sense of community. Turning on the World Cup and seeing people from all over the world cheer in the stands creates an international sense of connection we tend to lose. We get to see visitors' reactions to American culture and the excitement they bring as they support their home team. Even if you don't care about sports, it's less about the event and more about letting the greater experience sink in.

How to Keep Momentum:

• Where can you find a sense of shared meaning or attention with a group of people? Make a list. Maybe it's group hikes, religious spaces, concerts — whatever you enjoy, find people to experience awe with.
• Talk to strangers. Get into a habit of asking someone questions and actively listening.
• Be the friend that brings people together. Simple gatherings go a long way. Friends of mine have hosted impromptu coffee hangouts on Saturday mornings, which are a lovely way to begin the day.
• Get out of your head. You may not enjoy the sports or music your significant other enjoys, or want to take art classes, but doing so anyway for the sake of connection goes a long way. Turn your no's into yeses.

Collectively Energized,

Brittani

Drink Larry's Coffee: https://larryscoffee.com/relate