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Lisa Cook

President and Founder, Plan B Connections

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How do you build offline meaningful social connections?

There are many life transitions which trigger the necessity to make new friends- a geographic move, retirement, new job, divorce, etc. How does one establish meaningful friendships - relationships where you both are able to talk about what's really happening in your life rather than Facebook-type status updates?

The US and other nations are seeing an increase in the numbers of people living alone and studies are showing increased loneliness in society as a whole- it affects people regardless of age and marital status. For all those seeking meaningful social connections and stronger social ties, this is an important question. I think building social capital is very important. What is the glue that makes for meaningful social connections?

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Topics: Social connectivity
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Closing Statement from Lisa Cook

I was fortunate to have the chance to share my story at TEDxMahtomedi!

Hope you'll watch my talk and share your ideas on making meaningful connections. Let's keep the conversation going!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRVjj02BxEk

Lisa Cook

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    Xavier Belvemont 30+

    • +2
    Feb 14 2013: I think the concept of dating sites have somewhat of the right idea.
    You talk to someone online and then you meet,
    and seeing as meeting is the ultimate meaningful social connection, it seems like a good idea to be on a site where you can talk to people with the intention of meeting.

    • Darren Duckworth

      • +1
      Feb 17 2013: I was thinking along your lines as soon as I read the conversation starter. Perhaps the problem is also the answer? Internet dating from what I hear actually works. & in theory(not sure if its true) improves your chances of meeting someone compatible, than by chance coming across a match that good out in the real world.

      Perhaps the likes of Facebook could be harnessed by those interested in finding friends, perhaps very compatible ones at that! I'm considering as I speak, creating a facebook page dedicated to those who want to get OFF Facebook in my town :)

      • Joseph Lacek

        • 0
        Feb 18 2013: "Perhaps the likes of Facebook could be harnessed by those interested in finding friends, perhaps very compatible ones at that! I'm considering as I speak, creating a facebook page dedicated to those who want to get OFF Facebook in my town :) "

        Great idea. I definitely despise the depersonalizing effect Facebook seems to have, it 'caricaturizes' experiences, transforming them into this quasi-type existence.

        Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic tool (its praise is exaggerated in my opinion) that has allowed people to transmit ideas and manage relationships at a remarkable pace... but it should be a means to an end rather than the end itself. Virtual living cannot replace the authenticity of natural experience, they are polar opposites and impermeable to one another in the most basic sense; one is 'conceptual' the other is physical.

    • Ajay Doctor

      • 0
      Mar 9 2013: Could it also be that too much focus on trying to meet person/persons to resolve your loneliness or fad itself exploits you to a level at what you are not................observed that ultimately you rarely settle, its just by chance and have to keep up the portrayal else its self defeating.....

      Having a look at the advts itself conveys the shallowness, the pleasure of making genuine effort to build on a chance / meet is more worthy, irrespective of the ultimate outcome.

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