#LocalGovernment #Community #AuthenticityFM #Leadership #DigitalAge #PublicService

Does your algorithm know you better than your neighbors? That question opens a conversation about what happened to community and why it no longer feels like what it once was. We trace the shift from knowing everyone on the block to knowing everything about strangers online and what that transformation means for local government, leadership, and the future of connection.

We explore this through unexpected lenses. The Jetsons imagined a tech driven future but missed how innovation would isolate us. Brené Brown's Four Types of Power show up in neighborhoods, workplaces, and public spaces in ways that shape who belongs. Third places have faded even though they once held the social fabric together. The simple invention of the garage door opener quietly rewired how we relate to the people living closest to us. And now AI may push social media toward the same tech graveyard that holds MySpace.

From cul de sacs and alleyway conversations to curated feeds and disappearing gathering spots, we look at how the built environment, consumer behavior, and digital design have reshaped what it means to be neighbors. We revisit ideas like the Shultz Hour, a reminder that time is something we guard even as technology keeps asking for more of it. Because at the heart of authentic leadership and authentic community is permission. Permission to disconnect, to choose presence over distraction, and to rebuild a sense of belonging that no algorithm can predict.

00:00 The Changing Landscape of Community

08:02 The Impact of Urban Design on Community Interaction

13:44 Algorithms vs. Neighbors: The New Social Dynamics

22:12 The Role of Third Places in Community Building

27:42 Power Dynamics in Community Engagement

38:35 The Future of Social Media and Community Connection

42:07 The Commoditization of Attention

46:50 The Importance of Storytelling in Community

51:22 AI's Role in the Future of Social Media

56:46 Navigating Relationships in a Digital Age

01:00:19 Authenticity in a Fake World

01:07:55 The Trade-off Between Connection and Convenience