Replying to e7bc35f8...

If we assume that this article discusses the reality of the West, then it would not be historically accurate to limit it to cafés. Historically and geographically, the urban planning of Western cities and villages always had the church at their center. The center of communities was the churches, while cafés existed peripherally. This holds true regardless of whether one is religious or not.

The abandonment of common religious faith (even as a cultural element), beyond everything else it brought about (positively or negatively, depending on one's perspective), contributed to the loss of the community's center, as well.
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Beneath The Ink 10mo ago

No doubt, churches have historically served as community centers but the heart of this article is trying to touch on the importance of communal centers that anyone can intellectually participate in.

Churches, by nature, are institutionalized and have a top to bottom approach of disseminating knowledge.

People go to church for enlightenment from a spiritual source or mentor.

For a brief period in history, coffee houses served as centers for intellectual enlightenment and were battlegrounds for testing/debating ideas. Until that time and there after this only took place in segregated parlors based on class structure or universities and churches where class or institutional hierarchy determined the validity and feasibility of an idea.

I appreciate that there could be and have been really good ideas which generate from churches and I generally agree that communities have degraded over time for a host of different reasons, one among them as you mentioned is the fact that spirituality has all but vanished in local communities.

I'm actually working on a piece right now that delves into community degradation that I'd love some input for if you'd like to DM me!

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e7bc35f8... 10mo ago

I often wonder: "Where can I talk with my fellow citizens about important issues?" The town hall doesn’t seem like the right place anymore. This made me realize that our society no longer has a true “center,” like it once did when churches played that role.

This leads to an important question: "What are the sources of our culture?" One clear source has been our shared faith or beliefs, which has weakened over time. Losing this long-standing source of unity affects not just individuals, but society as a whole.

Today, having shared cultural values is often seen as old-fashioned or even limiting, yet having some common ground is necessary for us to work together on problems. Nations used to be a strong force for keeping us united, but now they seem to have lost their deeper influence on people. Elections, too, have become a tool that often just keeps corruption going, and political promises have turned into empty words.

The West, tired of failing ideas and systems, now faces a kind of intellectual crisis. Who can even name five great modern philosophers? This shows how much we have lost in terms of deep, shared thinking.

Moreover, trusting the government has turned into a kind of blind faith. Our relationship with authority now seems like a simple exchange:

"I pay my taxes—so solve my problems."

"I offer sacrifices to the gods—so I expect their blessings."

Experts have taken on a larger role in solving problems, which can make ordinary citizens feel that they have little to contribute, simply because they are not specialists. Politicians keep this idea alive by using empty slogans and promises that play on our emotions rather than offering real solutions. Meanwhile, experts are not always willing to help out in everyday community settings without personal gain.

In short, I am seeing a decline in both cultural unity and active civic participation. Without a common foundation, it becomes very hard for society to come together and solve its problems.