Town Square, the community deserves connection
The article argues that modern communities lack the spontaneous social interaction once provided by physical town squares, and posits that people inherently deserve spaces for connection. It calls for rethinking community design to prioritize shared spaces that foster genuine relationships among neighbors.
Background
- The article praises Town Square, a community engagement platform that blends a private social network with in-person events, designed for local communities (neighborhoods, HOAs, civic groups) — not for global social media.
- It argues that generic tools like Facebook Groups, Nextdoor, or Slack fail because they either lack privacy, encourage hostility, or miss the offline dimension needed for real community bonds.
- The piece contrasts "connection" (meaningful, local, sustained interaction) with "engagement" (metrics-driven, attention-grabbing, often toxic online activity).
- Background: Cauê Napier is a Brazilian designer and writer focused on technology ethics, community design, and digital wellbeing. Town Square was founded by Chris Heisey; it's a relatively small, subscription-based alternative to free, ad-driven platforms.
- The article reflects a growing backlash against Big Tech's model of social media, calling for smaller, intentional, paid tools that prioritize genuine local relationships over scale and virality.