www.socialspaces

A look into the sociological aspects concerning community spaces, and how the internet has shifted it online.

Story by: Siah Wei Heng

Pictures by: Unsplash

A few decades ago, meeting people physically was the only way for any social interaction to take place. Now, with only a tap, you could be talking to Joe from Brazil in just a few seconds through using technology. 

I can’t claim to be an expert in sociology, but that’s a giant leap from the agoras of ancient Greece or the town squares of yesteryear.

Such is the advent of the information age, where a few clicks of your computer or taps on your phone erase communication barriers. With COVID-19 making social distancing one of the words that defined 2020, the takeover of social community spaces by the Internet has become more and more apparent.

Questions pop up now. How did the internet conquer social interactions so quickly? Will this last? Will the internet replace physical spaces forever, or will we still need the human touch to survive in this world where humans are drawn to the endless loops of TikTok videos and Instagram posts?

However, we all cannot deny that the Internet and its applications have changed the social spaces where humans interact. 

In ancient Greece, an agora was the centre of all societal life in Greek city-states. Meaning “gathering place” or “assembly” in Greek, the agora is an early example of how humans used designated community spaces to interact with one another. Be it political or social, business or spiritual, the agora as a community space was crucial to the community.

Illustrating the importance of shared social spaces, many other spaces similar to the agora have popped up over the years, with many of them becoming crucial societal hubs. A stark contrast to the present, where such physical spaces are starting to see less traffic and only serve as an empty, open space.

COVID-19 has shattered the illusion of having to be present physically to connect with one another. Interconnected with applications such as WhatsApp and Zoom, the presence of the Internet has shattered the illusion of needing shared spaces to interact with one another. This has even killed the trend of shared and open spaces, with firms prioritising flexibility and online connectivity.

Just look at pictures from lockdowns around the world - Trafalgar Square, Raffles Place, Times Square. All traditionally crowded town squares, now empty due to the virus. Sure, humans took some time to adjust to the new societal norm. However, once adjusted, we demonstrated the lack of need to have such physical spaces to maintain basic communication.

So then, begs the question, do we even need to step out of the comforts of our home?

Indeed, such spaces’ importance has diminished vastly for its original purpose. As a convenient place for social activities, such physical areas are quickly being outstripped by the Internet.

In that sense, you can argue that the Internet has replaced the physical community space as the centre of all societal actions. However, the human touch has kept such spaces from being obsolete. 

There’s a reason why many people feel cooped up and claustrophobic in their own homes after all. Humans need to interact with one another physically. People want to feel, touch and interact with one another, and computer applications cannot replace that physical feeling.

This means that such spaces still serve important purposes. Especially after the pandemic is over, people would want to meet each other physically. Kissing someone in public or signing a business contract is more natural in person than in virtual signatures and virtual spaces.

Yes, the internet has shifted spaces online, but the human touch will make it so that it won’t be completely obsolete.