Community and Diversity

Part One

I apologize for falling off of the wagon last week.  I can list a million reasons why, but there's really no excuse.  So, here I am tonight, pondering questions from the next chapter.

As I began to read Chapter 3, I thought to myself, "What is community?", "Did I feel a sense of community when I was in the dorms?"  The author writes about her experience of the first week of college life, and the efforts the university and staff are putting forth to create this community.  During Welcome Week, a PowerPoint presentation was played to outline historical events beginning with the year many of the Freshman were born and continues through the next 18 years to bring them to present.  Everyone left the presentation with a brief sense of community, since they were introduced to something that they all shared: age.

But, once classes begin, what happens to this commonality?  There used to be a Freshman Seminar class (she was the last class it was offered to), to bring Freshmen together, to unite, to find common ground.  The class was cancelled because students reported negatively about it.  They didn't like that they "had" to do it.  They wanted free choice of what classes they took, so it was replaced with an elective.

RA's made great effort to bring their floor "together".  They would take surveys on what activities the tenants wanted.  75% on Rebekah's floor wanted Movie Night twice a month.  When they date came around, only 3 people showed.  When the second date rolled around, no one showed.  When questioned about it later, they said they wanted to go, but just didn't, or they forgot.  It seems everyone wants to have options, but no one takes advantage of these options properly.  Lack of accountability, in my opinion.


The American Way: The Individualism in Community
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about college and community??  Sororities and Fraternities!  Even these popular social communities are diminishing.  Fewer than 10% of AnyU residents are members of either.  When the author questioned students whether or not they would join, here are the responses she was given: (p. 47)

• They complained about "conformity" and "control of my life"
• You become lost, it's hard to know all ninety girls in a sorority. You become the same rather than an individual in a group.  It can get almost cult-like, and you spend all your time there.  You can't live in other dorms or meet new people
• It demands too much time
• I can make friends for free

I can't help but wonder what is happening to our society.  With so many options, and low accountability, will our future be able to make decisions and stick with them?  What happened to drive and motivation?  It seems that everyone is "scatter-brained" and just wants to be the only individual person on Earth.  

Something else to sleep on: 

"Does technology bring you closer to or farther away from other people - does it separate or connect?" (p. 43).