Essay about community: the evolution

Community: The Evolution
Throughout the ages man has gone through many changes. If you believe in Evolution, then man has evolved from Ape, to Neanderthal, to man as we know him today. Like humans, the relationships and groups that we communicate with have been through a deal of transformations as well. Fifty years ago it seemed that most of us had strong relationships with our neighbors and extended families simply because they were near enough to help us with a problem. However, today’s generation has changed to an extent that much of the relationships we build are online. There are thousands of communities out there that most likely have never met face-to-face. Although there are still parts of the world that do have the meaningful face-to-face relationships that previous generations of our own used to possess. Helen Epstein, a Ph.D. in molecular biology and a M.Sc. in public health, spent several months in Africa, more specifically, Uganda and Rwanda. In their culture is it much more natural to talk openly about indecent subjects, such as AIDS or sex. In understanding where these Ugandans and Rwandans are coming from we must acknowledge that the do not have the same freedoms that we do in America. And they are required to live this way to keep on living. Is this evolution of relationships going to help us in the future? Having a feeling of connection to something is an important thing to obtain; it gives us a reason to get up in the morning. Being able to build a strong community is the key to having an enjoyable life. Although it may seem tough, the best way to build relationships is in person and not on some computer. In the beginning, as we may have been apes, there was no technology allowing us to communicate, however, there was personal interaction. Our American culture is much different than some cultures around the world. As Americans, we don’t feel that it is comfortable to talk to others about sex or anything uncomfortable. And even if we do, we may not be heard. Epstein states, “Ugandans are not unusually compassionate people, and discrimination against people with AIDS persists in some families and institutions. But Ugandans do seem more willing to openly address painful issues in their lives” (112). Compassion is what we, as Americans, need to learn. We must become more socially cohesive like the Ugandans. She also says, “Ugandans are more likely to know their neighbors and to live near members of their extended families” (113). In Epstein’s time in Africa, she saw that they had a program known as Lovelife. This was to make young children aware of the dangers of AIDS and the HIV virus. To become a member of Lovelife, one would have to complete a number of programs and seminars about AIDS. And once the seminars were completed, the children were free to participate in its activities. This was a great way to get kids interested in forming their own communities.
In the way apes became there was a slow transition and in today’s world man is slowly putting another transition into action. manThese programs are a great way for us to feel “connected” to the world outside of the computer. Rebekah Nathan, an anthropology professor at North Arizona University, states, “The same things that make us feel connected and protected are the things that make us feel obligated and trapped as individuals and/or cut off from other groups with different agendas” (233). It can be overwhelming trying to become a part of so many communities. They make us feel so connected yet seem to make us feel trapped and unable to try something new. She goes on to say, “You can become the same rather than an individual in a group. It can get, you know, almost cult-like” (233). This is true in certain aspects. For example, an online community is going to be harder to make yourself into an individual where as if you are speaking with a community face-to-face, it may be easier to express your personal beliefs and

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