Our Connective Responsibility

Photo by Matteo Paganelli on Unsplash

It was my freshman year in Boston. I found myself in a new city on the opposite coast of my hometown, knowing only a handful of people I'd met through the university. One day, a professor challenged us to visit three places we'd never been and knew nothing about, then write about our experiences.

Although nervous, I seized the opportunity to explore this intriguing city. I soon found myself sharing a beautiful meal at a Sikh service, cheering amid roaring crowds at my first Red Sox game in Fenway Park, and engaging with strangers in a quiet corner of Boston Common.

Each experience pushed me beyond my bubble. Each stranger's story expanded my world. And yes, each step outside my comfort zone felt awkward at first—but that awkwardness was the growing edge of something necessary.

Did you know the vast majority of Americans—across political and cultural divides—agree (!) that we have a responsibility to engage with people different from ourselves?

In a new report, the More in Common team presents compelling research showing we're more invested in building a culture of connection than it appears. Their findings reveal most of us agree we have a "connective responsibility" to build relationships across differences. But how do we fulfill this responsibility?

Source: More in Common, “The Connection Opportunity” Report (2025)

What transformed my 18-year-old social awkwardness into meaningful connections? One simple factor: curiosity.

As curiosity expert Scott Shigeoka brilliantly notes: "We can ground ourselves in our humanity, which opens the door for the kind of deep curiosity that strengthens our relationships, especially across differences and in times of conflict."

We are so much more than our isolation suggests. Through the fog of division, we sense we need each other—but in this age of technology, violence, and uncertainty, we're often unsure how to find our way. Yet research shows that once we start remembering how to connect, these connections tend to cascade and multiply.

The More in Common team's groundbreaking report, "The Connection Opportunity," offers practical strategies for building solidarity across differences. Chapter Five presents actionable approaches including:

• Creating more opportunities for people to connect across difference

• Increasing perception that bridging divides is the "community norm"

• Fostering local community belonging

• Focusing on commonalities like shared interests and goals

• Reducing intergroup anxiety

• Emphasizing our "connective responsibility"

• Creating "connection cascades" where positive experiences catalyze further interest in connecting

I'm now re-assigning myself that college challenge: get out of my bubble and visit three places I've never been and know nothing about here in Nashville. I'm excited to get curious, meet new people, and practice my connective responsibility.

Will you join me? Our collective future depends on these small, brave acts of connection.

#connection #bridging #curiosity #solidarity