Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Bridging so we don't fall down

Among social capitol, I think bridging is the most important. Bonding is important to a person's well being (mental, most likely), but it is the bridging that connects us to everything. It's like the six degrees notion, you are connected to everyone through six people. If you know someone who is well connected, or bridged out, in society, then you are going to benefit from it, as well as they from you and who ever you know. This class is an excellent way of bridging, since most of us probably didn't know each other before hand. But through the blog and the class discussion, hopefully bridging can be turned into bonding or at least, say, from a wooden bridge to a steel one.

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you, although I think bridging is a lot harder for some people. Bridging is worth the effort, though, for all of the possible connections you can make and the benefits you can receive. I also think that blogging is a great way to bridge with our fellow classmates. I have gone through several other classess without knowing anyone else. It will be nice to form some social capital in here.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also agree, however, I feel like in order to create a "bridge" between people, everyone must maintain a level of trust and respect towards other members of the group. Nobody will ever open up if they don't feel safe doing so. By creating a safe and open environment, we can get to know each other much better and embrace different viewpoints and social backgrounds. The social capital that we will be exposed to will enrich our classroom experience and ultimately make us more understanding of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

    ReplyDelete