4 ms·

Someone already replied to you with some of the same point - but I think the problem is exceedingly obvious - we lack community in the US. I put a large part o

by phil21 9y ago

Someone already replied to you with some of the same point - but I think the problem is exceedingly obvious - we lack community in the US. I put a large part of the blame on suburban development. What did we expect when we took social animals and then sequestered them into little boxes far away from where humans congregate - requiring you to fit into another little box to drive to the next box for your planned and highly controlled social experience. Nevermind the 1.5hrs+ the average suburban commuter sits in a little box 5 days a week. I've been thinking of where to move to finally "settle down" in the US - and I'm coming up with a blank to be honest. I want to live somewhere I can be part of a community that shares my values and pulls together on a day to day basis - not just when some national news style emergency happens. I want daily interaction with my neighbors, forced or otherwise. I want the neighborhood kids to come running through my yard/sidewalk/whatever and to feed half a dozen of them lunch if they happen to be around when it's time, and to expect the same when my kid is off wandering and exploring. The phrase it takes a village to raise a child is absolutely more true than I ever realized. We destroyed nearly all our villages, and now wonder why we're so divided and depressed. We no longer function as a society that shares the same major goals. Talking to someone who lives in a semi-functional (I'm not sure functional exists in the US) community from a large city compared to the average suburbanite is eye opening in the disconnect from reality the latter has. I grew up around it, and simply didn't realize how damaging it is until I started to travel the world and see how actual communities function. I know some folks do well in suburban-style living, but I would say that the majority who say they love it are actively being mentally and socially damaged and simply don't know it. The views they express are now completely normalized.

bhewes 9y ago
Warning this is coming from someone highly involved in Oklahoma politics. Oklahoma towns and cities tends to be more community centered. This may be do to a lack of money in a community or physical isolation from the rest of the country. But it is still there. There are the same problems that other cities have, but we do provide good housing for most of our citizens. Tulsa, in particular through the work of the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma has ended chronic homeless within its borders. We are working on the same in Oklahoma City. We believe hard work matters and people can be leave poverty. The community providing the support systems for that to happen. Now, no one is going to give it to you. We just allow an affordable education path for betterment. And have a strong network of nonprofits and family foundations supporting programs of many kinds. That is just in the area I am fortunate to work in. Oklahoma is not perfect one just has to look at where we stand national on things like teen pregnancy, women incarnation, drug abuse etc. It is just there are some places where community still matters and Oklahoma is one of those places.
z0r 9y ago
A suburb with access to schools, libraries and parks is a fine thing. I grew up in such a suburb (in Toronto, if you're curious) and I'm not sure I understand what kind of city community provides the village experience you're imagining in your second paragraph. In my experience city dwellers have not been more neighbourly than those I remember from the suburb of my youth.

by phil21 9y ago

bhewes 9y ago

Warning this is coming from someone highly involved in Oklahoma politics. Oklahoma towns and cities tends to be more community centered. This may be do to a lack of money in a community or physical isolation from the rest of the country. But it is still there. There are the same problems that other cities have, but we do provide good housing for most of our citizens. Tulsa, in particular through the work of the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma has ended chronic homeless within its borders. We are working on the same in Oklahoma City. We believe hard work matters and people can be leave poverty. The community providing the support systems for that to happen. Now, no one is going to give it to you. We just allow an affordable education path for betterment. And have a strong network of nonprofits and family foundations supporting programs of many kinds. That is just in the area I am fortunate to work in. Oklahoma is not perfect one just has to look at where we stand national on things like teen pregnancy, women incarnation, drug abuse etc. It is just there are some places where community still matters and Oklahoma is one of those places.

z0r 9y ago

A suburb with access to schools, libraries and parks is a fine thing. I grew up in such a suburb (in Toronto, if you're curious) and I'm not sure I understand what kind of city community provides the village experience you're imagining in your second paragraph. In my experience city dwellers have not been more neighbourly than those I remember from the suburb of my youth.