Do we buy groceries or our prescription medications this week? For many Americans this is a choice that must be made. America is long overdue a major reform in our health care system.
According to the 2009 Survey of Health Care Consumers, nearly 40 percent of Americans give our health care system a D or F. In the same survey 25 percent said that in the last year they skipped care when they were sick or injured; two in five of those consumers have done so because they simply could not afford it, were not covered by insurance or thought the costs were too high.
The issue of health care reform is not a new problem that has been brought on by the failing economy. There have been problems in this system for a very long time. One can only imagine what the full effects of our current economic situation will bring to this structure.
The Clinton administration promised reform and put Hillary at the helm of the issue. Much talk and attention was given to what could and should be done but we are eight years past the Clintons and deterioration has only increased. During the Bush years we also heard much about the need for change but again no significant changes were made.
It seems shameful that we waste time arguing whether Wall Street bankers should be able to keep the millions of dollars in bonuses they took from bail out money that came from tax payers that can’t afford to see a doctor when they are sick or injured. Something is gravely wrong here. Why has it become so easy to overlook such an important issue that affects so many Americans?
If the current Obama administration does not begin immediately addressing the health care crisis with more than words and promises we will soon be facing a health care disaster. It is time that we begin applying pressure to our elected officials. They must come to understand the significance of the situation and focus on bringing the reform before it is too late. Maybe our politicians should have to choose between groceries or health care.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ambassador of Goodwill
This post is a profile that I did for my news writing class. I met this young lady at the Boys & Girls Club. She really is quite amazing. She lives out her faith in a way that really challenges me.
For Lora Dean, senior International Studies major at Missouri Southern State University, the dream of learning about and seeing the world began as a child. Lora grew up on a farm near Drexel, MO. Lora said “As I surveyed the farm I recall thinking to myself, there must be a big world out there.” Lora had a deep fascination about the various cultures of the world and remembers reading books and listening to her father tell her stories about them as a little girl. It was this curiosity that has brought her from that small Missouri town to preparing to begin her graduate studies in Amsterdam, Holland this coming summer.
Lora’s hard work and tenacity were recognized and recently rewarded as she was invited to candidate for and was awarded the $25,000 Optimist International Ambassadorial Scholarship. The scholarship is for graduate studies and must be completed internationally. Lora said, “Without this scholarship I may have not been able to continue my education and my journey towards reaching my goals.” These goals that Lora speaks of are to work with an international organization that helps children. She is especially drawn to the Arab nations. “The Islam religion won’t take responsibility for orphans”, Lora said, “I want to help those who can’t help themselves.”
Lora’s love and passion for children is evident as you watch her interact with them at the Boys and Girls Club of Joplin where she serves as the pre-teen coordinator. The children light up at their first sight of her as they file through the front door. This is followed by a barrage of hugs for each one. “It’s a great job”, Lora said, “I get to work with kids that need nurturing and I am surrounded by coworkers that support my goals.”
Another of Lora’s passions is her faith. When she was seventeen, a good friend of Lora’s was killed when a drug deal he was involved in went bad. This had a tremendous impact on Lora. “This made me realize that I needed to make some drastic changes in my life”, she said. That summer Lora became a Christian. “I don’t want my faith to be religious.” Lora said, and it is refreshing to see her faith in action. Lora is a regular volunteer through her church. She helps immigrants adjust to life within a new culture. She also works with the homeless and has helped to rebuild tornado damaged homes in the area.
“I have been able to start on a path towards becoming an ambassador of goodwill”, Lora said. This path has taken her on a cultural immersion in Morocco, and to China to teach English as a second language. As she prepared for her trip to China her mother commented to her that she had realized how the mother of a good friend of Lora’s must have felt when she had traveled to the U.S to study. “This is what I wanted her to understand, what I want everyone to understand, we are all human with human emotions”, Lora said, “no matter our differences in culture.” Lora hopes that this awareness coupled with education of cultural differences can eventually lead to world peace.
For Lora Dean, senior International Studies major at Missouri Southern State University, the dream of learning about and seeing the world began as a child. Lora grew up on a farm near Drexel, MO. Lora said “As I surveyed the farm I recall thinking to myself, there must be a big world out there.” Lora had a deep fascination about the various cultures of the world and remembers reading books and listening to her father tell her stories about them as a little girl. It was this curiosity that has brought her from that small Missouri town to preparing to begin her graduate studies in Amsterdam, Holland this coming summer.
Lora’s hard work and tenacity were recognized and recently rewarded as she was invited to candidate for and was awarded the $25,000 Optimist International Ambassadorial Scholarship. The scholarship is for graduate studies and must be completed internationally. Lora said, “Without this scholarship I may have not been able to continue my education and my journey towards reaching my goals.” These goals that Lora speaks of are to work with an international organization that helps children. She is especially drawn to the Arab nations. “The Islam religion won’t take responsibility for orphans”, Lora said, “I want to help those who can’t help themselves.”
Lora’s love and passion for children is evident as you watch her interact with them at the Boys and Girls Club of Joplin where she serves as the pre-teen coordinator. The children light up at their first sight of her as they file through the front door. This is followed by a barrage of hugs for each one. “It’s a great job”, Lora said, “I get to work with kids that need nurturing and I am surrounded by coworkers that support my goals.”
Another of Lora’s passions is her faith. When she was seventeen, a good friend of Lora’s was killed when a drug deal he was involved in went bad. This had a tremendous impact on Lora. “This made me realize that I needed to make some drastic changes in my life”, she said. That summer Lora became a Christian. “I don’t want my faith to be religious.” Lora said, and it is refreshing to see her faith in action. Lora is a regular volunteer through her church. She helps immigrants adjust to life within a new culture. She also works with the homeless and has helped to rebuild tornado damaged homes in the area.
“I have been able to start on a path towards becoming an ambassador of goodwill”, Lora said. This path has taken her on a cultural immersion in Morocco, and to China to teach English as a second language. As she prepared for her trip to China her mother commented to her that she had realized how the mother of a good friend of Lora’s must have felt when she had traveled to the U.S to study. “This is what I wanted her to understand, what I want everyone to understand, we are all human with human emotions”, Lora said, “no matter our differences in culture.” Lora hopes that this awareness coupled with education of cultural differences can eventually lead to world peace.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Time For A Cool Change
I'm pissed! I mean really pissed! How can anyone with an advanced education be such an incredible idiot! How can one live in in this country, or any country for that matter, and be so oblivious to the reality of the times? How could they be so stupid to ask the common man to contribute to their bailout and then split $70 billion between themselves and call it a bonus? It is this type of ludicrous action that has thier businesses in trouble which has contributed to the global recession.
If this isn't enough evidence to prove the obsurdity of Wall Street arrogence it has recently been made public that Merrill Lynch CEO, John Thain spent $1.22 million on an office remodel. When he was confronted by a reporter about this matter he confirmed that it was true and said that he just couldn't have really done much in the office the way it was. As of Oct, 2008 Merrill had laid off 5000 people in 18 months. How many saleries could have been paid with his office remodel and bonuses?
What has happened to this nation that we have begun to value one person's skills over anothers in such a gross manner? I understand that the janitor will never make the same salery as the CEO, but need there be such a vast canyon between the two amounts? Does the janitor not contribute to the companies bottom line? This level of employment is the first to experience the effects of financial decline and yet do they ever see the "bonuses" of the profitable times?
While these horrendous attitudes are quite obvious on Wall Street they are not limited to this arena. Much of business and industry in the U.S. has taken the same path. According to the National Coalition on Health Care at least 46 million Americans under the age of 65 are without health insurance. Of those 80% are from working families. This is a disgrace that surely deserves some attention.
President Obama campaigned on the platform of change. He is being called the common man's president. I sincerely hope that he can lead this country into change. There must be a purging of greed. We need to become acutely aware of the needs of our neighbors, those we come in contact with every day. There also needs to be a reviewing of all people so we might be delivered from the terminal attitude of "us" and "them". It would be a great benefit if we could focus more on "conserve" instead of "consume".
This great nation definitely needs change. As the "Little River Band" put it, it's "time for a cool change". Let it begin with me.
If this isn't enough evidence to prove the obsurdity of Wall Street arrogence it has recently been made public that Merrill Lynch CEO, John Thain spent $1.22 million on an office remodel. When he was confronted by a reporter about this matter he confirmed that it was true and said that he just couldn't have really done much in the office the way it was. As of Oct, 2008 Merrill had laid off 5000 people in 18 months. How many saleries could have been paid with his office remodel and bonuses?
What has happened to this nation that we have begun to value one person's skills over anothers in such a gross manner? I understand that the janitor will never make the same salery as the CEO, but need there be such a vast canyon between the two amounts? Does the janitor not contribute to the companies bottom line? This level of employment is the first to experience the effects of financial decline and yet do they ever see the "bonuses" of the profitable times?
While these horrendous attitudes are quite obvious on Wall Street they are not limited to this arena. Much of business and industry in the U.S. has taken the same path. According to the National Coalition on Health Care at least 46 million Americans under the age of 65 are without health insurance. Of those 80% are from working families. This is a disgrace that surely deserves some attention.
President Obama campaigned on the platform of change. He is being called the common man's president. I sincerely hope that he can lead this country into change. There must be a purging of greed. We need to become acutely aware of the needs of our neighbors, those we come in contact with every day. There also needs to be a reviewing of all people so we might be delivered from the terminal attitude of "us" and "them". It would be a great benefit if we could focus more on "conserve" instead of "consume".
This great nation definitely needs change. As the "Little River Band" put it, it's "time for a cool change". Let it begin with me.
Monday, January 26, 2009
You Can't Un-ring A Bell
Once again my inspiration for a post is coming from Dr. Brown, my Intro to Lit instructor. Dr. Brown said that her Mom had said to her that "you can't un-ring a bell".
This seemed profound to me at the time and I began to think of all the implications that this saying could have. How many purposes does a bell serve in our lives? What do bells symbolize in our culture?
There are door bells, dinner bells (I don't care what you call me as long as you call me for dinner), school bells, jingle bells, church bells, the Liberty Bell, wedding bells, Christmas bells, festival bells, sleigh bells, hand bells, and ships bells. Who knew there were so many kinds of bells?
Church bells ring to signal a call to prayer. Wedding bells ring after a couple has completed their vows. Bells were rung at funerals signifying the passing of a life. These bells represent commitment. A commitment to God, a commitment to each other, a commitment to eternity.
Dinner bells are rung to call families together for a meal. Christmas bells are rung to signify the birth of a saviour. Hand bells are rung together to create music. These bells represent celebration. The celebration of the community of a family, the celebration of an invitation to new life, celebration of harmonies and melodies.
None of these bells can be un-rung. Once the clapper strikes the bell the tone has sounded and cannot be taken back. So it is with many activities in the day of a life. Words are spoken, actions are taken, ideas are thought. These bells will not un-ring. Each have consequences. Some positive, some not, some life changing, some not. Some affect many, some affect few. "You can't un-ring a bell".
What bell have you rung? What bell are you ringing? What bell will you choose to ring? "You can't un-ring a bell".
This seemed profound to me at the time and I began to think of all the implications that this saying could have. How many purposes does a bell serve in our lives? What do bells symbolize in our culture?
There are door bells, dinner bells (I don't care what you call me as long as you call me for dinner), school bells, jingle bells, church bells, the Liberty Bell, wedding bells, Christmas bells, festival bells, sleigh bells, hand bells, and ships bells. Who knew there were so many kinds of bells?
Church bells ring to signal a call to prayer. Wedding bells ring after a couple has completed their vows. Bells were rung at funerals signifying the passing of a life. These bells represent commitment. A commitment to God, a commitment to each other, a commitment to eternity.
Dinner bells are rung to call families together for a meal. Christmas bells are rung to signify the birth of a saviour. Hand bells are rung together to create music. These bells represent celebration. The celebration of the community of a family, the celebration of an invitation to new life, celebration of harmonies and melodies.
None of these bells can be un-rung. Once the clapper strikes the bell the tone has sounded and cannot be taken back. So it is with many activities in the day of a life. Words are spoken, actions are taken, ideas are thought. These bells will not un-ring. Each have consequences. Some positive, some not, some life changing, some not. Some affect many, some affect few. "You can't un-ring a bell".
What bell have you rung? What bell are you ringing? What bell will you choose to ring? "You can't un-ring a bell".
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Miniepiph
Epiphany: 1. a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence, a sudden realization. 2. the supposed manifestation of a divine being, appearance of god. (Encarta Dictionary)
Friday in my Intro to Literature class the instructor, Dr. Brown, made a comment that really got me thinking. She said that books and movies were full of people having epiphanies but very few people ever really have one. Most of the time for most people life happens and we don't really figure out the lessons it has for us until long after. Now this seems extremely ineffective to me. And yet, the more I think about it the greater realization I have that it's true. I also believe that for myself there are lessons that I resist and even rebel against. The outcome of this resistance and rebellion is much less than pleasurable.
Waiting until you are in your forties to submit to the lessons that came to you twenty plus years before is at best bitter sweet. It seems that one must become less malleable with age. Thank God that I haven't become so brittle that I shatter instead of bend around the mold of who I truly am.
I have tired with living a life of settling. Settling for jobs that don't allow me to grow into my full potential. Settling for a lackadaisical lifestyle that robs my wife, my kids and myself of the awesome, adventurous journey that is life. Life with some effort, planning, and discipline can be so much more than any of us have even dreamed of. So I'll continue to take the bitter sweet pills and I'll endure the strikings of the creators mallet while I'm trying to become softer, more pliable and I'll be looking to learn the lessons of life in a more timely manner.
I'll be looking, hoping, for more miniepiphes.
Friday in my Intro to Literature class the instructor, Dr. Brown, made a comment that really got me thinking. She said that books and movies were full of people having epiphanies but very few people ever really have one. Most of the time for most people life happens and we don't really figure out the lessons it has for us until long after. Now this seems extremely ineffective to me. And yet, the more I think about it the greater realization I have that it's true. I also believe that for myself there are lessons that I resist and even rebel against. The outcome of this resistance and rebellion is much less than pleasurable.
Waiting until you are in your forties to submit to the lessons that came to you twenty plus years before is at best bitter sweet. It seems that one must become less malleable with age. Thank God that I haven't become so brittle that I shatter instead of bend around the mold of who I truly am.
I have tired with living a life of settling. Settling for jobs that don't allow me to grow into my full potential. Settling for a lackadaisical lifestyle that robs my wife, my kids and myself of the awesome, adventurous journey that is life. Life with some effort, planning, and discipline can be so much more than any of us have even dreamed of. So I'll continue to take the bitter sweet pills and I'll endure the strikings of the creators mallet while I'm trying to become softer, more pliable and I'll be looking to learn the lessons of life in a more timely manner.
I'll be looking, hoping, for more miniepiphes.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
All Alone in the Midst of Many : Part 4
The first day of classes went well. I think I am going to like them all and at this point none of them seem to have an overwhelming amount of homework. I hope that you had a wonderful Monday.
I am posting the fourth in the series on social isolation in America. This is the final post in this series. I hope that you haven't been bored by it and has I have said numerous times before, I truly hope that you have been challenged and enlightened as you have read.
No matter how unpromising the circumstances seem it should not be considered too late to amend the situation. Mankind, in spite of everything, has within them a created need for relationship. There is evidence of this in society’s behavior. The very fact that social networking sites have grown to such enormous popularity is verification that people want to be connected in some way. The current trend in television advertising also attests to the strong desire to belong within a community of people. Support for this matter has become evident on college campuses as well with the return of the living room or commons area to the dorms. People want to connect.
What should the next step be for helping people become more intimately connected? Should there be a campaign to discontinue the use of modern technology, such as the internet social networks, to build relationships? The better plan would be to incorporate these valuable tools into ways of getting people together face to face, and heart to heart. Because so many people can stay in touch with each other with so little investment of time and effort it can be a great asset in developing relationships. These networks are not a good substitute for face to face connections.
One method of integrating this media into healthy relationship building is to promote projects on the social networks that those of common interests can participate in together. For instance, a group of people who enjoy lawn and garden work could be brought together to help clean up a local neighborhood that has been neglected. The benefits would not only be the beautification of the neighborhood, but people coming together with a common interest and goal to make a difference for others. This is a fertile seedbed for relationship and true connectedness to begin to grow. The possibilities are endless and the benefits can be limitless when modern technology is combined with the traditional approach to building community.
For thousands of years people have come together around a table of some sort to share a meal as a way of connecting. This is still one of the paramount ways of relating. A fun twist on sharing a meal and involving an entire neighborhood is the progressive dinner. For this dinner each family involved hosts a different course in their home. This is especially fun around the holidays. Homes are decorated with a flare of the families’ personality and moods are festive for this time of sharing in one another’s life. One immense advantage of the progressive dinner is the fact that several families all get to share their homes and fare with each other in a single evening.
The family has suffered greatly in this era of social isolation. Each family member has their own television, computer, mobile phone and myriad of other activities that keep them separated. A popular trend from the past that is experiencing a revival is the family game night. One night is set aside for the family to be together for dinner and an evening of playing board games. Even one night spent together can build a bond of memories that last a life time. This is also an opportunity to teach the children the importance of all deep meaningful relationships especially family relationships.
There is an old story that is told about a retirement home in Florida. Most of these people were retirees who had moved to Florida away from their families. When their spouses passed away and they reached a time when they could no longer care for themselves they were admitted to the retirement home. Alone and so far from their families, these people felt very lonely and isolated. A local businessman passed by this home every day on his way to and from work. With each trip passed the home his heart would break as he witnessed the miserable countenances of the residents. Each morning after breakfast the staff would bring them outside and seat them in rows of chairs facing the street. The same routine was followed after each meal.
One day the businessman left for work early. As he came to the retirement home he quickly rearranged the chairs in front of the home into a circle. He then paused across the street to watch as the staff led the residents outside. Though they were all a bit puzzled at first, the residents began to sit in the circle of chairs. With a sense of hope the businessman walked away to his office. Over the next few weeks the businessman began to notice that the residents of the retirement home were looking happier and they were talking freely with each other. He was quite pleased with the results of merely moving the chairs into a circle. This one simple act made all the difference in the sense of community that these people experienced.
One simple act could be all it would take to become more connected to others as well. Making eye contact as we greet people on the street, opening the door for someone, inviting a neighbor for coffee and dessert, or even checking with them before a trip is made to the grocery store, these are all efforts that will help to build relationships. By building relationships and becoming more connected with the people in one’s life not only benefits the individual, but our society as well.
I am posting the fourth in the series on social isolation in America. This is the final post in this series. I hope that you haven't been bored by it and has I have said numerous times before, I truly hope that you have been challenged and enlightened as you have read.
No matter how unpromising the circumstances seem it should not be considered too late to amend the situation. Mankind, in spite of everything, has within them a created need for relationship. There is evidence of this in society’s behavior. The very fact that social networking sites have grown to such enormous popularity is verification that people want to be connected in some way. The current trend in television advertising also attests to the strong desire to belong within a community of people. Support for this matter has become evident on college campuses as well with the return of the living room or commons area to the dorms. People want to connect.
What should the next step be for helping people become more intimately connected? Should there be a campaign to discontinue the use of modern technology, such as the internet social networks, to build relationships? The better plan would be to incorporate these valuable tools into ways of getting people together face to face, and heart to heart. Because so many people can stay in touch with each other with so little investment of time and effort it can be a great asset in developing relationships. These networks are not a good substitute for face to face connections.
One method of integrating this media into healthy relationship building is to promote projects on the social networks that those of common interests can participate in together. For instance, a group of people who enjoy lawn and garden work could be brought together to help clean up a local neighborhood that has been neglected. The benefits would not only be the beautification of the neighborhood, but people coming together with a common interest and goal to make a difference for others. This is a fertile seedbed for relationship and true connectedness to begin to grow. The possibilities are endless and the benefits can be limitless when modern technology is combined with the traditional approach to building community.
For thousands of years people have come together around a table of some sort to share a meal as a way of connecting. This is still one of the paramount ways of relating. A fun twist on sharing a meal and involving an entire neighborhood is the progressive dinner. For this dinner each family involved hosts a different course in their home. This is especially fun around the holidays. Homes are decorated with a flare of the families’ personality and moods are festive for this time of sharing in one another’s life. One immense advantage of the progressive dinner is the fact that several families all get to share their homes and fare with each other in a single evening.
The family has suffered greatly in this era of social isolation. Each family member has their own television, computer, mobile phone and myriad of other activities that keep them separated. A popular trend from the past that is experiencing a revival is the family game night. One night is set aside for the family to be together for dinner and an evening of playing board games. Even one night spent together can build a bond of memories that last a life time. This is also an opportunity to teach the children the importance of all deep meaningful relationships especially family relationships.
There is an old story that is told about a retirement home in Florida. Most of these people were retirees who had moved to Florida away from their families. When their spouses passed away and they reached a time when they could no longer care for themselves they were admitted to the retirement home. Alone and so far from their families, these people felt very lonely and isolated. A local businessman passed by this home every day on his way to and from work. With each trip passed the home his heart would break as he witnessed the miserable countenances of the residents. Each morning after breakfast the staff would bring them outside and seat them in rows of chairs facing the street. The same routine was followed after each meal.
One day the businessman left for work early. As he came to the retirement home he quickly rearranged the chairs in front of the home into a circle. He then paused across the street to watch as the staff led the residents outside. Though they were all a bit puzzled at first, the residents began to sit in the circle of chairs. With a sense of hope the businessman walked away to his office. Over the next few weeks the businessman began to notice that the residents of the retirement home were looking happier and they were talking freely with each other. He was quite pleased with the results of merely moving the chairs into a circle. This one simple act made all the difference in the sense of community that these people experienced.
One simple act could be all it would take to become more connected to others as well. Making eye contact as we greet people on the street, opening the door for someone, inviting a neighbor for coffee and dessert, or even checking with them before a trip is made to the grocery store, these are all efforts that will help to build relationships. By building relationships and becoming more connected with the people in one’s life not only benefits the individual, but our society as well.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
All Alone in the Midst of Many : Part 3
I hope the weekend was great for every one. Ours was especially nice. We had a friend over for dinner Saturday evening and had a great time of fellowship, relationship building. Pastor Mike challenged me with his message Sunday morning and we ended the weekend with an afternoon and evening with visits and meals with family. I have a deep satisfaction in my soul and I'm excitedly anticipating beginning classes on Monday.
I'm posting the third part of a research paper that I wrote last semester on the growing trend of social isolation in America. Again I hope that you find something here that you can relate to. I also hope that you are able to glean some personal growth through this, my attempt to challenge you to build meaningful relationships in your life. Thanks for taking the time to see what I have to say. Shalom.
How serious is this change and how fast are things changing? In a 2004 study published in the American Sociological Review co-authors Miller McPherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin, and Matthew Brashears found that one in four Americans have no one that they feel they can discuss important matters with (358). The study is based on the results of the General Social Survey (GSS) of 2004. When the results of the 2004 GSS were compared with those of the 1985 GSS they were shocked to find that in just less than two decades the number of confidants decreased by 33%. “”You usually don’t see that kind of big social change in a couple of decades,” says study co-author Lynn Smith-Lovin, professor of sociology at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina” (Kornblum 01A). This rapid change had previously been unheard of. Another reprehensible statistic was that 53% of the survey group stated that they had no family member to discuss important matters with. This means that these people don’t have a close enough relationship with their spouse, parents, siblings, children, or any other family member to confide important personal issues in. It is difficult to view these findings and not recall the video and photos of hurricane Katrina victims stranded on roof tops. Could it be that these people had no one to call for help or no one to check on them? What a sad and desolate thought that in a nation as technologically advanced as America what kept these human beings from being rescued in a perilous situation was that they had no one to reach out to for help.
This data poses some interesting thought. Over the same period of time that we have seen technology sky rocket with the propagation of the internet, emailing, mobile phones, BlackBerries, and Facebook, we have literally lost our close circle of friends and confidants. While we have become more “connected” through technology than ever before, we have also become isolated. The problem with social networks is that the relationships don’t have to be, and often times are not real. Through these networks one can choose exactly what to and not to reveal to others. It is even possible to create alter egos and develop fantasy lives for these egos. This makes true connection impossible. It is also a danger to reveal some things within these networks because predators have found them to be a gold mine of victims. As it is necessary to be guarded in these environments, it then becomes too easy to become over guarded within real relationships. In the not so distant past, one was considered cold and aloof or selfish and introverted if they were overly cautious and hesitant toward new relationships. In today’s social climate it is the norm to be restrained and wary in new and established relationships. However, in order to build close relationships there must be an element of vulnerability from all involved. Many are physically or electronically connected and yet emotionally separated. There must be trust to truly connect in relationship.
With the declination of community and connectedness in relationships occurring at such a rapid rate, what can we expect for the future? With the progression taking place so rapidly there really is no hypothesis, but without intervention it cannot be good. There is obviously more split families and children living with only one parent. It could also be predicted that the crime rate would also rise. Blood banks could struggle with the crisis of a shortage. Some charitable organizations could become defunct. There is also a risk of a physical and mental health catastrophe and civilization as we know it now could evolve into a desolate community of isolated independents. While these predictions seem to border on the extreme, the experts were shocked at the results of the 2004 GSS as compared to the 1985 GSS (Kornblum 01A). Therefore, while there are no documented predictions for where the current trend of social isolation is leading our society, these issues must be considered.
I'm posting the third part of a research paper that I wrote last semester on the growing trend of social isolation in America. Again I hope that you find something here that you can relate to. I also hope that you are able to glean some personal growth through this, my attempt to challenge you to build meaningful relationships in your life. Thanks for taking the time to see what I have to say. Shalom.
How serious is this change and how fast are things changing? In a 2004 study published in the American Sociological Review co-authors Miller McPherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin, and Matthew Brashears found that one in four Americans have no one that they feel they can discuss important matters with (358). The study is based on the results of the General Social Survey (GSS) of 2004. When the results of the 2004 GSS were compared with those of the 1985 GSS they were shocked to find that in just less than two decades the number of confidants decreased by 33%. “”You usually don’t see that kind of big social change in a couple of decades,” says study co-author Lynn Smith-Lovin, professor of sociology at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina” (Kornblum 01A). This rapid change had previously been unheard of. Another reprehensible statistic was that 53% of the survey group stated that they had no family member to discuss important matters with. This means that these people don’t have a close enough relationship with their spouse, parents, siblings, children, or any other family member to confide important personal issues in. It is difficult to view these findings and not recall the video and photos of hurricane Katrina victims stranded on roof tops. Could it be that these people had no one to call for help or no one to check on them? What a sad and desolate thought that in a nation as technologically advanced as America what kept these human beings from being rescued in a perilous situation was that they had no one to reach out to for help.
This data poses some interesting thought. Over the same period of time that we have seen technology sky rocket with the propagation of the internet, emailing, mobile phones, BlackBerries, and Facebook, we have literally lost our close circle of friends and confidants. While we have become more “connected” through technology than ever before, we have also become isolated. The problem with social networks is that the relationships don’t have to be, and often times are not real. Through these networks one can choose exactly what to and not to reveal to others. It is even possible to create alter egos and develop fantasy lives for these egos. This makes true connection impossible. It is also a danger to reveal some things within these networks because predators have found them to be a gold mine of victims. As it is necessary to be guarded in these environments, it then becomes too easy to become over guarded within real relationships. In the not so distant past, one was considered cold and aloof or selfish and introverted if they were overly cautious and hesitant toward new relationships. In today’s social climate it is the norm to be restrained and wary in new and established relationships. However, in order to build close relationships there must be an element of vulnerability from all involved. Many are physically or electronically connected and yet emotionally separated. There must be trust to truly connect in relationship.
With the declination of community and connectedness in relationships occurring at such a rapid rate, what can we expect for the future? With the progression taking place so rapidly there really is no hypothesis, but without intervention it cannot be good. There is obviously more split families and children living with only one parent. It could also be predicted that the crime rate would also rise. Blood banks could struggle with the crisis of a shortage. Some charitable organizations could become defunct. There is also a risk of a physical and mental health catastrophe and civilization as we know it now could evolve into a desolate community of isolated independents. While these predictions seem to border on the extreme, the experts were shocked at the results of the 2004 GSS as compared to the 1985 GSS (Kornblum 01A). Therefore, while there are no documented predictions for where the current trend of social isolation is leading our society, these issues must be considered.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
