Studies confirm shared experiences, more than material things, bring people together.
I think we all intuitively know (even if we have buried the knowing) that experiences are more meaningful than possessions. But as the quote below highlights, with this being true, there is a responsibility for cities and towns to facilitate the opportunity for experiences that bring people together.
One clear takeaway from this research—like the many studies on experiential spending and happiness done to date—is that people would likely be wise to tilt their spending toward “doing” rather than “having.” But our work points to another implication as well. Communities could benefit in many ways from encouraging experiential pursuits. Policymakers can support access to public parks, beaches and museums, for example. Improved funding for the arts and performance spaces can be a way for communities to ensure that shared experiences continue to bring people together, as the National Endowment for the Arts has highlighted. Our work hints that such investments could kick off a virtuous cycle. Directing resources toward more community engagement might spur improvements in societal well-being.
