www.selifestyle.com · JUNe 2009 · soUTHeAsT Lifestyle Revival of American Community A Brief Discourse on the Decline of American Community Even worse than these losses are the so consumed with what is good for the loosening of our informal connections individual and no longer consider what with acquaintances, friends, and loved is good for the community. The most ones. A short conversation with an obvious causes of this breakdown are acquaintance turns into a quick hello, financial and temporal constraints. We which turns into a silent gesture, which eventually evolves into nothing; complete neglect of that person altogether. Where did the connection go? We have all experienced this. Office employees are only co-workers and neighborhoods are usually inhabited by strangers. Even relationships with dearest friends seem more distant. There are many reasons that have caused a breakdown of community, many of which, most people are guilty. These causes are not inherently bad Ryan posing with Grandmother and often can prove Fay Haralson very beneficial to individuals. The Ryan's Happy Day! problem arises when people become - by Ryan Osborne here has been a slow and subtle change in American society that has been disengaging us with our surrounding community. There have been many evenings when deep inside my soul, I long to be with others but for various reasons I think of an excuse not to or there is no one available. Can you relate to this? Community has a significant impact on our lives, but we are losing our unity and with it the benefits associated. This disconnect has many faces and many reasons, but there are those who are clinging strongly to community and are not willing to let it fade. Our communities are declining in many ways. Though politics affect everyone, there are few who participate, especially at the local and state level. Most citizens don't even keep up with current events, and even if aware of the issues, most resort only to complaining. Our civic and religious participation has also declined. Americans are less likely to join an organization, volunteer, attend church, or engage in philanthropy. t have become a materialistic society that has replaced community with things. Materialism never achieves happiness though and we are left with no time to enjoy ourselves. Another thing that community has fallen victim to, is the rush of technology we are exposed to on a daily basis. We are constantly bombarded with so much stimulation about nothing at all important. We can go home, turn on the television, turn off our minds, and never think of those around us. Television fills our minds with dramatic relationships which we come to consider normal and acceptable. Another thing that causes the breakdown is mass culture. There are so many people that we cannot possibly know or be kind to everyone, so we anesthetize ourselves to those relationships we are missing. Two causes which are less apparent are urban sprawl and insurance. We move far away from central urban areas to scattered suburban developments. While the convenient central area becomes a ghost town, we move so far away from our friends that it is often too burdensome American Community continued on page 8 C on for high achievem ats e gr Ashley Pell East received her Doctor of Pharmacy graduating with Highest Distinction, from UNC- Chapel Hill on May 9th. She is a 2001 graduate of Southeast High School and a 2005 graduate of UNC-CH.Dr. East is married to Jesse East and is the daughter of Paul and Myra Pell of Lynwood Drive. She is a member of Rho Chi, the pharmacy's academic honor society. nts