Calling All Supercitizens

We face a strange predicament. More so than ever, we have become untethered to place. Remote work, fluid job changes, longer retirements and other factors allow us to more easily consider and act on moving to a different place.

On the one hand, this option is exciting and creates opportunity. The prospect of moving to a dream location can be alluring. If we feel stuck in a place, many of us have agency to do something about it. In addition, geographic mobility can unlock economic opportunity.

On the other hand, moving with great frequency – or even having the mindset of potentially moving soon – does not allow us to become rooted in our place. Why invest in your community if you are going to relocate soon? It can also create collection action problems: if other people leave, why shouldn’t I?

Enter Supercitizens

Amidst this predicament, there are “supercitizens”, as Brian Klass highlights, who make a profound commitment to their place. Supercitizens are people who “routinely devote significant amounts of their time, energy and talent to make their communities better.” These hidden heroes have altruist motivations and elevate the well-being those in their area. They provide the social glue – social capital as Robert Putnam would say – that keeps our communities together.

Examples of supercitizens are volunteers who regularly work to keep local parks clean, offer up their services for neighbors in need (such as an older neighbor who needs transportation to the doctor) or weekly serve at the local school. You probably know the names of some supercitizens in your area.

Recent research points to the causal relationship between supercitizens and social cohesion. (Note: social cohesion and social capital are related terms but different; social cohesion refers to the unity and solidarity of a society or group whereas social capital is more about the networks and relationships individuals have that enable them to access resources or support.) Researchers found a virtuous cycle in that there is a bidirectional relationship between social cohesion and high levels of volunteering. When more people volunteer, communities get stronger, and strong communities entice people to volunteer more.

In other words, you are more likely to find a good place if volunteering is the norm (because it will score high in measures such as sense of community, belonging, and neighborliness), and you are more likely to volunteer if behaving altruistically is the norm.

Supercitizens are More Likely to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

But there’s more. People who engage in local altruism by donating their time and talents tend to live longer, healthier lives.

A 2020 Harvard longitudinal study found that people with high levels of volunteering experienced significantly lower mortality risk, lower risk of physical functioning limitations and much higher self-rated health.

The results must at least be partially explained by the clear sense of purpose that volunteering provides. Separate research has found that people with an articulated purpose, particularly in regard to a cause greater than themselves, live longer, healthier lives. Social scientists observe that many people experience a crisis in purpose, often hitting young people and retirees the hardest. Ironically, these two groups, on the surface, tend to have the greatest availability for volunteering.

Carefully Consider the Dimensions of Place

Considering social cohesion is a reminder that place is not just physical; it is foundational for healthy longevity. The right place meets our environmental, health, community and financial needs and desires.

It is also more than a physical dwelling, and this is critical. To the extent our understanding of and search for the right place overemphasizes what exists within our four walls, we are likely to underemphasize some of the factors that may make a greater difference over the long-term, such as the social cohesion of the neighborhood and broader community.

Note that particularly as one enters mid-life and beyond, one may find that preferences in a physical dwelling may shift (i.e., desire for less maintenance, less space, etc.) while the importance of community may increase. This is why falling unconditionally in love with our physical dwelling can be problematic as it may blind us from factors that are ultimately more important to our long-term healthy longevity.

Consider the Implications of Place and Commitment

If you are troubled by the lack of social cohesion in your place, it may be time to find another place. Look for places where supercitizens exist and draft off of their altruism.

However, don’t underestimate the opportunity to double down on making your place better and elevating your health in the process. Your future self – and your neighbors! – may thank you if you become a supercitizen where you presently live. And, in an era of rootlessness, you may find that your place truly becomes your home.

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