There are a lot of self-help books out there that focus on the mindset of individuals as the key to happiness and, ultimately, success. They offer a number of valuable insights into the human condition and offer many practical recommendations for improving one’s outlook on life.

However, if you’re like me, you might have come away with a fleeting sense of peace. The words of wisdom were quite soothing while reading the book, but I came away from the pages and quickly got sucked back into the jumble of everyday life… a life filled with obstacles to happiness that I was left to struggle in alone.

Evan and I have been thinking long and hard about the strengths and weaknesses of self-help books. And we’ve come to the conclusion that something vital is missing: the need for a supportive community. We do not accept the Myth of Rugged Individualism that plagues our society. Nor do we believe the great success stories are heroic quests of lone strangers who come into town to save the day.

I would like to suggest a different focus, one that is informed by psychology and research into the workings of the human brain.

Humans as Social Beings
An idea about human nature is endemic in the West. It is the idea that human nature is inherently selfish, what economists and philosophers call the Rational Actor whose behaviors can be explained through the notion that motivation is directed toward maximizing one’s self-interest. This perspective leaves altruism and generosity on the sidelines, “problems” to be explained in the context of a broadened sense of what self-interest means.

I would contend that it is not human generosity that is the “problem” or “anomaly,” but rather that it is the theory of rational action that fails to capture something essential about human beings. It is helpful to look more deeply into the human condition and recognize what psychologists have known for some time now, that human beings are inherently social and depend upon each other for survival and flourishing. We are social beings who could never have survived infancy without supportive parents. The most important lessons have been taught to us by community members in the form of our teachers, extended family, friends, and colleagues.

Furthermore, there is now evidence from neuroscience that shows something profound:

Human nature is about empathy!

About ten years ago, a group of scientists in Italy discovered that monkeys have a special type of response in their brains when they see other monkeys grasping bananas. When they looked into it more closely, they found that the monkey’s brain was simulating the body movements (without moving its own body) while watching their pen mates so that they could understand what they were doing. The researchers later discovered the same phenomenon in humans, calling the special response circuits mirror neurons.

This discovery is profound because it provides a neurological account of empathy. Our brains have an innate ability to understand our fellow humans. It is part of our make-up, and should be recognized as such.

Community is Key to Flourishing
We are social beings who depend upon each other for survival, learning, and growth. Any explanation of success that misses this vital component of the human condition will be inadequate for guiding you to situations that bring fulfillment.

The idea of community entrepreneurship is built around this understanding. Those who seek to transform their society find that they must work closely with others in a mutually supportive way. One of our goals for hivethrive is to make the role of community explicit in the success of local businesses, innovative non-profits, and other vehicles for social change.

In our modern world of extreme individualism, there is a malaise that shadows the lives of many. This is because our need for community goes on unresolved. Evan and I hope that you will join us here and explore with us the part that community has to play in our efforts to transform society and provide for ourselves and our loved ones.

Warm regards,

Joe