The development of the gig economy is weakening the sense of community at the heart of enterprises. In its place, more and more people will form casual relationships with online "neighbors", and become more involved in their local communities. With the increasing freedom of everyday life, the routine checkups of the past will give way to a new form of constant social monitoring. In this new society, each and every one of us is called upon to understand the integral role we play in our social system.
Most people who are used to a company-centric life have not been able to take full advantage of their new freedom. Those who conform to their surroundings, fearful of their freedom infringing on others', often cannot tell whether they are independent or isolated. These people begin to seek the security of "belonging".
Even these people will find there are many ways to become involved in their local community. For example, local farmers will often call on people to buy produce when harvests are hastened before a typhoon. Simply buying vegetables can take on a completely different meaning in this context. Buses used by the whole town can serve as another springboard to community involvement. For example, you could output data on your own activities, analyze travel routes, or even take on the role of summarizing the data to create travel plans; flexibly adapting your community involvement according to your feelings and circumstances. Through the visible, real-world results of such activities, we can all gain a sense of belonging in our communities.
Cities and their governments are hard at work building environments that facilitate their citizens' involvement, while citizens aim to lead lives that minimize social costs through such involvement. Both sides are working to find the perfect balance.
Just as the phrase "from ownership to use" marked the arrival of a new age 10 years ago, today, we need to think about the phrase "from users to participants".
What we consider "troublesome" in our current age of convenience and efficiency will become integral to the "sense of belonging" that comes with the rights and responsibilities of the new age of ethics for infrastructure operators. Social infrastructure must be equally available to all; thus it comes with responsibility, and the potential to serve as a springboard to mutual engagement and participation in the community.
