Burst your bubble

Try to meet people whose lives are different from yours

One of the more fascinating demographic trends these days is just how much people sort themselves into like-minded communities. There are political implications, as states become “red” or “blue.” Plenty of folks don’t know many people who vote differently than they do, even though, obviously, millions of people make those choices.

But beyond that, people sort on other factors as well. For instance, if you have a professional degree, which I know many people reading this do, you might not have many close friends who didn’t go to college. Your children most likely play with children from similar backgrounds.

There are reasons for such sorting, but even if your job and neighborhood are what they are, it’s possible to make some excursions outside the bubble. Doing so reminds us that people have lots of different experiences.

So, alongside your professional organization, which naturally has people with the exact same job as you, consider joining a civic organization that recruits more broadly. If nothing else, as you meet and volunteer together, you’ll meet people in different lines of work, and who might be at different life stages from you.

Many houses of worship draw their members from all walks of life, which is great. Join a small group and get to know people you wouldn’t otherwise. That said, if your house of worship is a bit more homogeneous, maybe it’s time to partner with a like-minded church in a different neighborhood to do some projects together, or field that softball team.

If you visit community institutions, you can be intentional in these excursions. Many towns’ libraries have multiple branches, and if you can return your books anywhere, why not check out the story time and music class options at a different branch? One of the reasons I enjoy my YMCA is that the clientele is more diverse than the clientele I’ve encountered at other gyms. Cast a slightly broader net with the restaurants you visit for lunch — it doesn’t have to just be that upscale sandwich spot in your office building. Going somewhere a little different occasionally can remind you that the world is a varied place. Plus, the nearby diner’s coffee might be slightly cheaper than your sandwich shop’s. That’s a bonus!

Even our online communities can become bubbles, but they don’t have to be. You don’t need to expose yourself to strident voices but ask around to find who your friends and colleagues consider to be the most thoughtful people with differing opinions. You might try seeking out and following a few bloggers or influencers or podcasters whose lives differ in significant ways from yours.

These days our life bubbles can have walls that are a lot thicker than actual soap bubbles. That’s not necessarily because we’re actively trying to limit interaction. It’s just what tends to be easiest. If you spend most of your time working or caring for your kids, then you probably don’t see that many people outside your extended family and neighbors anyway. Bursting a bubble does take effort. But at least from time to time maybe it’s worth that effort — if for no other reason than to remember what the broader world is like.