Causes of the absence of a sense of community and measures

Individuals and families who work hand in hand toward the progress of their locality have always been ubiquitous in many different areas, especially in our close-knit Philippine society. However, as an effect of urbanization and other factors such as urban migration; cities flourished but were stripped off their sense of community. A lot of people in these city dwellings become nameless and faceless; thus, widening the disparity among its constituents. This essay will discuss the causes of this trend and possible solutions to alleviate the problem.

The lack of communication among neighbors is one of the main reasons behind the absence of community. People fail to talk to each other or even wave or smile because they are too busy with their own lives. Some are busy with work or are looking for jobs; therefore, they have very little time left for small talk with neighbors. If they do have time left, most would be bent over doing other activities that they believe would be beneficial. Consequently, this lack of face to face interactions makes people strangers to each other, who could not care less about each other.

In the Southern area of the Philippines, conflicts often arise between Moslems and Christians –some even leading to violence and mortalities. Although not necessarily as violent, groups in cities are also disparate, not only because of religious beliefs, but also because of cultural differences. A lot of people do not understand why certain people act like a certain way; thus, the stereotypical comments that certain regional groups are stingy, garrulous, quarrelsome and the like. This is compounded by urban migration as a lot of people from many different places start to settle in these so-called “melting pots”. Indeed, different beliefs play a huge role in the conflict between locals.

The prosperity of an area depends on how united its residents are. Therefore, everyone should be working towards alleviating this ever-growing problem. Gatherings should be encouraged in order to allow everyone to take some time off their busy lives and talk to each other. Activities such as parties, sports festivals and the like may also spark interest in these get-togethers. Also, respect is the key. We may not be able to fully understand each other’s habits and preferences; but if we respect our neighbor’s inherent dignity, no issues will arise.

The absence of community will continue to persist unless we do something about it. Our religion and culture might be different; but if we only take time to be proactive, instead of being reactive, we could catalyze change.