The book club has been one of the longest running gatherings among adults. It was a time when men, women, or both gathered together to discuss the intricacies of a book. It is an opportunity to share their thoughts on the plot, how they thought characters developed, and give their own feedback on where they thought the book should have gone.
Now, these groups gather together for far more than to just talk about books. People enjoy the opportunity to discuss current events, politics, and other news occurring to keep each other informed and discuss if they should potentially take any action to help improve the course of history.
Gaining a Broader Scope
One of the disadvantages of these groups has been that they were always limited in scope. There were a limited number of viewpoints that were available because most who were gathering to discuss these issues lived in the same area.
Now this is no longer the case. With the advent of conference technology, groups like this can gather people from all across the globe to discuss the news of the day. Through use of a video conference camera, they can see individuals, maybe even witness events as they occur. This has given many a whole new view on events occurring across the globe as they are able to hear points of view that would not have been available to them even just a few years ago.
Making Changes in These Groups
What makes these groups so useful is that they are not just about talking about the events of the day, but are about taking action. People are using the Internet to form groups where they can then become social activists for a specific topic. This includes even making the Internet a safer place for people to use, helping to push legislation or create policies that prevent such things as bullying.
Through the use of effective group discussion techniques, members are able to point out issues that may be occurring somewhere in their community, and their country, or even across the globe. They are then able to connect with people in those communities, finding out what needs to be done to help assist with food, medicine, even legal help.
Sometimes, these groups are able to rally together and start making an issue public. Far too often many are unaware of issues that are occurring, and it can be through the actions of these groups that they can begin to change awareness so that communities take action.
Opening Your Group Up
One major advantage that people are finding is that there are social media outlets and websites that are often already offering groups that are related to a particular topic that interests the individual. They may find that a group is already formed to help those struggling in Afghanistan, assist with a new park project in their neighborhood, or get legislation passed to make the Internet a safer place.
This has become one of the big advantages of the modern era. No longer are people limited to a small group of friends and family to discuss the issues of the day. Now they can have a varied group of opinions and gather together to make real change. It is this kind of thing that is likely going to change society for the better.