In the face of increasing globalization and technological advancements, solidarity is becoming more and more difficult to achieve. This is because people are no longer bound together by physical proximity or shared experiences. Instead, they are connected through digital platforms that allow for greater levels of communication and collaboration across distances. But does this mean that solidarity can survive in the absence of shared struggle? It depends on how you define "solidarity" and what kind of struggles are being shared.
Solidarity can be defined as a sense of unity and togetherness among people who share common goals or values. It is often expressed through collective action towards achieving those goals.
Workers might join together in a union to demand better working conditions, while students might protest for lower tuition fees. In these cases, solidarity requires some level of struggle, whether it's against an employer or government.
There are other forms of solidarity that don't require any shared struggle at all.
People can feel a sense of solidarity based on their identity, such as race or gender. They may come together to celebrate their culture or advocate for equal rights without necessarily engaging in direct confrontation with others. Similarly, people can form virtual communities online around shared interests, hobbies, or beliefs. These communities can provide support, validation, and connection without requiring any collective effort towards change.
It seems like the ability to experience solidarity is not dependent on shared struggle, but rather on shared identities and perspectives. As long as people find ways to connect over commonalities, even if those connections aren't related to any particular struggle, they can still maintain a sense of community and belonging. This has both positive and negative implications for society. On one hand, it allows for greater diversity and inclusion, since everyone has a place to fit in. But on the other hand, it could also lead to fragmentation and isolation, where people become more focused on their own experiences than on broader social issues.
Can solidarity survive in the absence of shared struggle?
In the context of social movements, solidarity can refer to the feeling of unity among individuals who share similar goals or values despite their differences in personal experiences. Solidarity may develop through shared experiences such as participating in demonstrations, protests, or other forms of collective action, but it can also be strengthened by recognizing commonalities in backgrounds, identities, and beliefs.