Everybody likes to be apart of something. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological and sociological explanation that humans have social needs – to feel connected and loved and respected. Looking to find your place in Barcelona. Here are 5 quirky subcultures in Barcelona!
As psychological research piles up, the public is becoming more aware of the dangers entailed with loneliness. Due to the individualism of cities, people are becoming more and more isolated from their neighbors, friends, and family.
Interesting trends have emerged worldwide in light of this phenomenon. In Tokyo, for example, services have been set up in where people can rent friends. One young woman named Miyabi explains that she’s been hired to pose as a loyal girlfriend to impress a client’s parents; watch films with an elderly woman, and even just pose for Instagram selfies to help her clients feel less lonely.
Being alone in a big city can seem somewhat ironic, though. With millions of people clustered into one urban space, there’s bound to be a match for anyone, right? In recent years, hundreds of communities have popped up around Barcelona, bringing together likeminded people, no matter how unique (or sometimes a bit weird) the members’ interests happen to be.
Here’s our guide to some unique communities you can find around Barcelona:
Moon Runners: As midnight draws closer, thousands of people in Barcelona head towards bars and clubs to dance through their nights. Others, however, strap on their running shoes and meet for an intense run through the empty streets. While the rest of the city sleeps (or dances, probably), these guys use the quiet and barren pavements to bolt into the darkness.
Virtual Reality Enthusiasts: This community has stepped into the future — or at least, they’ve taken a glimpse at it through virtual reality goggles. Developers, gamers, and enthusiasts come together regularly to hop into other galaxies, take runs through forests, or travel to the other side of the world. (Usually while remaining seated, somewhere in Barcelona).
Legal hackers: These aficionados lie at the intersection between law and technology. Don’t be fooled by what you’ve heard about the average hacker; these guys are strictly in it for the public good and to improve the practice of law.
Spiritual Seekers: Friends often talk about their work, families or current events. But then there are the profound thinkers and spiritual gurus among us who find these topics too tame. In this group of Spiritual Seekers, most topics about life — or preferably even afterlife — are discussed, debated and supported.
Brutal Ping Pong: There’s dozens of public ping pong tables set up around Poblenau where you’ll find teenagers paddling on without a care. But for a group called Brutal, ping pong is a much more serious activity. They usually meet near Parc de la Citudella and spend hours locked in some of the most intense ping pong games you’ll find in the city (or who knows, maybe even in all of Spain).
