Deep Conversations ‘The Dark Side series’

Session 3: The Dark Side of Community

Alright, 'Beautiful Minds,' our 'Dark Side Series' ventures into new territory! After tackling the personal dynamics of Authenticity and Empathy, we now step outside to examine one of our core longings: Community.

We're drawn to Community, the promise of belonging, mutual care, and strength together. It's the comforting story we often tell ourselves about finding our true place.

Yet, what if this quest for 'us' comes with its own hidden 'shadow inventory'? It's time to take stock of the less-discussed baggage that belonging can bring. So, get ready as we expose the hidden complexities:

The Conformity Squeeze: When does group harmony demand conformity and silence dissent?

Walls Instead of Welcomes: How easily does the line between 'insider' and 'outsider' become one of exclusion, judgment, or hostility?

The Ties that Bind (Too Tight?): When do those strong community connections become a comfortable straitjacket, stifling vital growth, blocking needed change, or conveniently hiding internal power plays?

Losing Yourself in the 'We': Does 'finding your tribe' sometimes tempt you to trade your unique 'I' for the collective 'We' a little too completely?

The Group's Shadow: What unacknowledged biases, unspoken fears, or historical wounds lurk beneath the surface, shaping the community's actions in ways it might not even realise?

Join us as we playfully investigate the paradoxes of togetherness. The fine lines between belonging and exclusion, support and suppression. Our quest isn't to abandon connection, but to pursue it more wisely, fostering groups that truly uplift, not unintentionally limit.

Ready to explore belonging, baggage and all?