Communities

When most people talk about community, they think of a location, an area in which people live. By definition “community” is a group of people living in the same location and under the same government. Community can also be defined as a group of people with the same common interests or segments in society. However, these definitions, which can be found in any dictionary, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to explaining what community really is. Community is the memories and traditions of a certain area, as well as the interactions and responsibilities of its members. In order to truly belong to a community people must follow a set of values. These communal values are needed to provide stability among communities in this ever changing world. In the past ten years, with the advent of the internet and many other forms of communication, communities have become less interactive and isolated. In this paper I will be discussing the purpose of communal values and why they should be protected.

Having a sense of belonging within a community is very important. Many people who have moved since childhood will always remember where they grew up. It is the memories and history they have there that will always make it home. In the play The Piano Lesson, the author shows the conflict between Boy Willie and his sister Berniece both of whom are African American. The conflict of the story centers on gaining a sense of belonging from one’s past. Boy Willie wishes to buy the land where his ancestors were slaves. In doing this Boy Willie must sell an antique piano which has been in his family for generations. Berniece wishes to hold on to the antique piano because it holds the history of their family in its unique carvings. In Boy Willie’s mind, gaining the piece of land would make his life meaningful and give him a sense of belonging. This story shows how the powerful bonds of memories and history are enough to create conflict between even the closest individuals. However, sense of belonging in a community does not require the history and memories of a place. People can gain a sense of belonging from simple but meaningful acts within the community. In Scott Russell Sanders’s essay on community, he explains how simple acts such as making bread with his daughter and children from the neighborhood gives him a sense of belonging and hope. Communal interaction is necessary on many levels. Not only does it create a friendly atmosphere, it is necessary for communities to fix their problems. Many times it is the responsibility of the community to speak out about problems. Communities are “the only effective power that can limit consumption, pollution, and the degradation of nature” (Ehrenfeld 21). A program such as Neighborhood Watch is a good example of people coming together on a community level to fix and prevent problems.

Another aspect of good community, which can be seen in farm communities, is the idea of stewardship and treatment of the land. In the past, the communal system in farm communities was that everyone relied on each other for survival. Then with the introduction of modern economic systems, that was drastically changed in some areas. Farmers then relied more on making a profit and getting the most money out of their land. David Kline represented his ideas that one must be “a steward to the mysteries of god” (39). This example of how farm communities have changed resembles some of the problems facing large rural communities today.

One major problem with communities today is that people frequently move between different areas where every house looks identical. Such communities are like packaged communities and lack dynamism. Harry W. Paige would call people living in packaged communities, “the rootless ones,” because they lack a sense of place and belonging. Paige also expresses the idea of retirement communities and how they can never mimic the real feeling of home. Even if they claim to be living an easy life they will always yearn for what they had at home, where they grew up. This is shown when in their last hour, they will usually wish to be at home with their families (Paige 13-14).

Ease of mobility is another factor that leads to weakened communal values. According to Genaro C. Armas of the Associated Press, “In the last 5 years of the 20th century, close to half the population packed up and moved to different homes.” These people moved for many reasons, some for jobs, and others for economic situations. Others move to places of sunshine to retire, but they always miss what they had back home, even if they claim to live in delight in their new location. Robert Putnam, a professor of political science at Harvard University comments, "Mobility does play a role in people disengaging from their communities.” The idea of living a mobile life style is one that has increased over the years. Long commutes to work or school have taken time away