COVID: How the Loss of the Outer Circle Has Changed Community
What has happened to our extended network of workplace peers and what you can do about it
As we approach a year since the initial lockdowns, we are beginning to register and process the effects of pandemic-induced lifestyle changes. Most analyses of the digital workplace either cite the feeling of being “Zoomed out” or celebrate the benefits of working from home. These points are valid, but I fear we may be missing the forest for the trees.
A recent article in The Atlantic examined the way relationships have changed in the wake of the pandemic, particularly how different types of relationships have adapted to an online world. In the last 12 months we have worked hard to stay connected with our close, inner circle of friends and loved ones; but many of us have lost the outer circle, the peripheral relationships. The Atlantic article describes these relationships as “the guy who’s always at the gym at the same time as you, the barista who starts making your usual order while you’re still at the back of the line, the co-worker from another department with whom you make small talk on the elevator.”
Zooming in (pun intended) on the peripheral relationships in our workplaces encourages us to think about how engagement has changed in those workplaces. Early in the pandemic, the Davenport Institute hosted a webinar with Engaging Local Government Leaders on “work from home” best practices. We explored tips on intentionally maintaining a balance of social and professional interaction given the loss of break room conversations. Some of those engagement mechanisms included socially distanced walking meetings and virtual book clubs. While those are helpful, they are limited to the inner circle in the workplace i.e. the immediate team.
But what about everyone else?
A focus on the inner circle in every type of relationship has adversely affected not only engagement within the workplace but also community building outside the workplace. I am close to my supervisor and direct reports, but I can count on one hand the relationships I have fostered across departments which have grown into friendships.
Organic social interactions in the breakroom or hallway provide a respite in an otherwise busy work environment. Those interactions are often the time gaps that allow us to get to know our colleagues beyond their title and responsibilities. There is no digital equivalent, but there are ways in which we can seek to regain peripheral relationships while working from home.
To reestablish the outer circle, we must first recreate the environments which foster the peripheral relationships. For example, arriving to Zoom calls early is the digital equivalent of walking into a meeting room early and chatting about the weekend. If the meeting group is small enough, allowing team members to stay unmuted creates a digital openness to chime in with thoughts without the awkwardness of unmuting then waiting to be called upon. Zoom background themes for meetings could service as the jumping off point for casual conversation on favorite foods or dream vacations.
While it is impossible to fully recreate digitally what was lost during the shift to online, there is still hope for rebuilding some of the outer circle. The first step is to acknowledge that there was an outer circle and that it is now missing. Next, we must seek ways to recreate the environments which fostered those relationships and allow ourselves a social break from the litany of emails and Zoom meetings. Who knows, we may even make new work friends while working from home.
https://catalyst.independent.org/2021/03/09/how-the-loss-of-the-outer-circle-has-changed-community/
******************************************Russia, not China, tried to influence 2020 election, says US intel community
The Russian punching bag again
Russia’s government tried to seed the 2020 US presidential campaign with “misleading or unsubstantiated allegations” against then-candidate Joe Biden through allies of former President Trump and his administration, US intelligence officials said on Tuesday.
The assessment was made in a 15-page report into election interference published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It underscores allegations that Trump’s allies were playing into Moscow’s hands by amplifying claims made against Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run up to the November 3 election.
Biden defeated Trump and took office on January 20.
“We assess that Russian President Putin authorised, and a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations aimed at denigrating President Biden’s candidaccy and the Democratic Party, supporting former President Trump, undermining public confidence in the electoral process, and exacerbating sociopolitical divisions in the US,” the report stated.
US intelligence agencies found other attempts to sway voters, including a “multi-pronged covert influence campaign” by Iran intended to undercut Trump’s support. The report also punctures a counter-narrative pushed by Trump’s allies that China was interfering on Biden’s behalf, concluding that Beijing “did not deploy interference efforts.”
“China sought stability in its relationship with the United States and did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk blowback if caught,” the report said.
US officials said they also saw efforts by Cuba, Venezuela and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to influence the election, although “in general, we assess that they were smaller in scale than those conducted by Russia and Iran.”
US intelligence agencies and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller previously concluded that Russia also interfered in the 2016 US election to boost Trump’s candidacy with a campaign of propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
The Russian, Chinese and Cuban Embassies in Washington did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations and the Venezuelan Ministry of Information also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Moscow, Beijing and Tehran routinely deny allegations of cyberespionage and subterfuge.
The new report said Putin knew of and “probably directed” the election interference efforts. As an example, Putin “had purview over the activities of Andriy Derkach,” a Ukrainian lawmaker who played a prominent role in the effort and has ties to Russian intelligence, the report said.
“We assess Russian leaders preferred that former President Trump win re-election despite perceiving some of his administration’s policies as anti-Russia. We have high confidence in this assessment,” the report stated.
A key role was also played by a second man with Russian intelligence ties, Konstantin Kilimnik, according to the report. Kilimnik and Derkach met with and gave materials to Trump-linked people to push for formal investigations, and Derkach released four audio recordings to try to implicated Biden in corruption, it said.
That refers to conversations that right-wing figures in the United States cited as evidence that Biden tried to protect his son Hunter from a probe in Ukraine.
Kilimnik was an associate of Paul Manafort, who served as Trump’s 2016 campaign chairman. Trump last year pardoned Manafort for a criminal conviction that stemmed from Mueller’s investigation.
Russian agents also tried to “phish” employees of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, “likely in an attempt to gather information related to President Biden’s family,” it said. Hunter Biden had served on Burisma’s board.
As in the 2016 election, the Russian so-called troll factory formerly known as the Internet Research Agency pushed disparaging stories on social media about Biden and Democrats and complained about censorship by the tech companies, the report said. It also sought to exacerbate US divisions on racial justice issues, the report said.
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IN BRIEF
ChiCom Virus begets new high in perceptions of China as U.S.'s greatest enemy — as it should (Gallup)
"China-backed Confucius Institute rebrands to avoid scrutiny." —Free Beacon
DHS says illegal crossings are on pace to hit 20-year high (Daily Caller), but President Joe "Open Border" Biden says he has no plans to travel to the southern border (Fox News)
These deaths are on Biden's hands: Eight illegals killed in another horrific car crash near Mexican border (Disrn)
FBI: Christmas bomber in Nashville was driven by paranoia and acted alone (Disrn)
Blue states move to tax PPP loans, collect millions from small businesses that were (and still are) unfairly hamstrung by shutdown-happy Democrats (Just the News)
Quid pro quo: Of the top 20 states getting "COVID" bailout money, 13 voted for Biden (FEE)
Retail sales suffer big chill in February amid stormy weather (NPR)
Eight killed in metro Atlanta spa shooting spree (AJC)
And oh, by the way, two New York black teens set mentally ill white man on fire (Daily Wire)
Grammy ratings hit lowest of low: Only 8.8 million tune in vs. 19 million last year (Daily Wire)
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam restores voting rights for 69,000 Democrat-leaning ex-felons (Axios)
"Hiking has a diversity problem. These BIPOC groups are working to fix it." —Los Angeles Times
Policy: America and Brexit Britain: Time for an economic alliance? (Heritage Foundation)
Policy: The U.S.-Chinese rivalry is a battle over values (Foreign Affairs)
President Unity blocks press access at the border, constructs false narratives (Washington Times)
Trump vindicated: Judge rules Michigan secretary of state violated election laws (PJ Media)
Addendum: "Months after Trump complaints, some courts are finding irregularities in 2020 elections." —Just the News
Georgia deputy secretary of state outed as source of fake Trump quotes in WaPo story (Bongino.com)
Twenty-one states sue Biden to overturn the ridiculous canceling of Keystone XL pipeline (Daily Wire)
RIP, Tea Party: House Republicans drop decade-long opposition to earmarks (Examiner)
It sure looks like Joe Biden lied about his tax plan (National Review)
Political theater: House passes bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to Capitol police (Roll Call)
CNN hemorrhaging viewers since Trump left office, down nearly 50% in key measurables (Fox News)
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signs law to expand abortion coverage "without limits" on taxpayer dime (Disrn)
Judges pacify Planned Parenthood, block Indiana's parental consent requirement for abortion (Disrn)
Preemption winning streak continues for gun advocates: Judge strikes down Boulder's AR-15 ban (Free Beacon)
Texas to forgive $29 million in electricity bills after historic winter storm (Disrn)
"Mistakes made": DHS chief admits release of untested illegal immigrants into communities (Washington Times)
Biden says May 1 deadline to pull troops from Afghanistan will be "tough" to meet (AMN)
Ford plans to move new vehicle construction from Ohio to Mexico (The Hill)
IRS announces extension of filing deadline to May 17 (The Hill)
Americans are spending their Joe "Buy a Shotgun" Biden stimulus on guns (Forbes)
Policy: What the U.S. must do to beat China (National Review)
Policy: Would Biden's tax hike really spare the middle class? Nope (AEI)
Unity! Lefty lawmaker acknowledges Democrats will exploit procedural tactic to pass massive infrastructure bill without Republicans (Daily Caller)
Radical leftist Deb Haaland confirmed 51-40 as interior secretary (ABC News)
Trump's exit from the world stage led to a network ratings bloodletting (Daily Caller)
"Incredible potential to taint the jury pool": Defense in Derek Chauvin trial asks judge to delay the trial following $27 million settlement (AP)
Columbia University joins 75-some schools hosting segregated graduation ceremonies (Daily Wire)
Policy: Border crisis: Incompetence or part of the president's plan? (Daily Signal)
Policy: How to end Biden's fake climate apocalypse (American Spectator)
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Also see my other blogs. Main ones below:
http://snorphty.blogspot.com (TONGUE-TIED)
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)
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