The 4 C’s – Community

So, with Brandon having already done a deep dive on the concept of “craft beverages,” it’s my turn to talk about another of our 4 C’s, the idea of community.

Our focus on community is born from having recognized a truth so incredibly self-evident and obvious that we almost all know it, but often times don’t really think about its implications. This truth is that no individual exists in a vacuum. Every individual is part of a family, a club, a school, a church, a political party, and on and on. The groups which we’re members of have profound, complex impacts on our life and, yes, our identity.

So often, we think of ourselves as individuals. This is certainly true. You are unique. An unrepeatable singularity. No matter how many millennia pass by, there will never be another you. This shows you to be a treasure of incalculable value and worth. This worth isn’t dependent on your membership in any group. Your value is intrinsic, internal to the very core of who you are as a person. What a wonderful reality!

Yet, when we watch how people interact with each other, far too often we forget this same reality applies to everyone and not only ourselves. We don’t converse, we shout. We don’t engage, we belittle. Instead of seeking to understand another perspective, we seek to destroy the standpoints which “threaten” our own. This idea of our beliefs being threatened by the fact that someone believes something different is a bit of an obsession of mine, so I’ll have to go more in depth on that another time.

So, what is InkleDeux going to do to help build this kind of community? Well, in a couple of different ways. For one thing, we really are looking to work with other companies locally on how to do this whole entrepreneurship thing. Our other big push, though, is to be actively involved in the community at large. We want to be involved in our communities, especially with pillars of our community like service men and women, educators, and first responders. Eventually, we’d like have some brick and mortar community centers.

What is important to us is that we talk. Sometimes those talks will get heated, but they shouldn’t get hurtful. Socrates famously didn’t believe that those he debated were enemies, but rather friends on a journey to better understand the reality they both lived in. To me, the key to a good conversation is that both sides genuinely want to understand the other side.

We’ve all had conversations with people we disagreed with, and I’m sure some of them were great experiences. I’m just as sure, of course, that some were the most painful, frustrating things you’ve had to endure. We’re looking forward to a lively discussion about a lot of different topics. In fact, we need it. After all, we’re all still unfinished works.

Don’t forget to participate in this community we’re building by liking the page, following us on social media, and subscribe for blog updates!

-AJ Enfield

InkleDeux

On the way to creating the best damn beverage shop in the Valley.