It's the year of 007...and I'm about to throw around pop-culture psycho-babble like it actually matters. Thing is, I think it really does.
Now, I'm not one for self-help. I don't read Chicken Soups for any soul, nor to do I peruse the people from different planets (Mars or Venus), but a few years ago I did stumble upon a rather interesting book. It was by an American psychiatrist that had spent much of his formative professional years in service to the American military. From this experience (and from his own incite) he began to formulate a philosophy that focuses upon the necessity for the truthful development of love and community.
Community is an oft-abused word. In many cases it is used to create divisions, to define differences and, at times, to condemn segments of people. Yet, in modern times, no one concept or word has ever been so present in our day-to-day lives. Community dominates our work life, our home life and even our entertainment hours (what community are you a part of while surfing on this, here, inter-web???).
Yet, despite the pervasive nature of this aspect of humanity, community is often misunderstood and ill-defined. It is at this point that the self-help wisdom of Scott Peck enters the picture. According to Peck, any group that wishes to become a community must undertake a communal journey that involves four stages:
*pseudocommunity -- where "niceness" reigns
*chaos -- when the emotional skeletons of individuals and segments crawl out of the closet
*emptiness -- a time of quiet and transition
*true community -- marked both by deep honesty and deep caring
Peck outlines this concept (and the subject) in his 1987 book, The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace (Simon and Schuster). In this, and any of th other Peck bestsellers, he mixes his poignant incite with examples and rational explanations as to why it is so important for us -- as the human race -- to develop and nurture community.
Regardless of whether you agree with Peck's description or not, the fact remains that in this day and age of division and strife, community has become an important and necessary aspect for peace and sustainability. Community defines who we are, what rights we are entitled to and what protections we can expect. Community also helps us grow and develop as individuals -- allowing all the little punk-rockers a chance to rebel, even as the suits choose to conform.
The problem is too many people ignore the integral part of community that demands honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. These principles (these traits) allow people -- all people -- to move from a state of insufferable "niceness" (where everyone gets along and no one is really real -- just think of the past holiday season:), to the chaotic stages of changing boundaries, perspectives and expectations, to a sense of loss (that comes from not getting OUR way), to the final stage of appreciation, acceptance and (dare I say it) respect.
Because in the end, there can be no community without respect and respect can only be attained through persistence and growth -- NOT through forcing person(s) to conform to our own (limited) standards.
So, why, in the year of 007, do I say all of this? Because now, more than ever, we need to stop glossing over the idea of community. We need to stop assuming that any community we belong to, participate in, or affiliate with MUST conform to every principle and value we hold. Despite how great we all believe our values to be (and how right, how righteous, and how rational) our perspectives and our views are these beliefs are not superior to anyone else's beliefs. Period.
That means we, all of we, have to make a decision to deal with the uncomfortable feelings that occur when we grow and learn as a community -- when we push the boundaries, question the status quo and then opt for the straight and narrow. Because in the end community is about love and acceptance, both for ourselves and for others.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I'm not really sure what you're getting at here, Romana. Immigrant communities? Certainly they do not have to conform to Canada, but they should certainly interact and become a part of "Canadiana". Otherwise, of what benefit would said community be to our nation, to our people, and to our manifest pursuit of happiness?
Hi Adrian -- my rant about community has nothing to do with predefined communities -- such as an immigrant community. In fact, my rant has little to do with assimilation and more to do with the tolerance (and more importantly acceptance). Too often, we assume that community only occurs when all are assimilated. This is not the case. For proof of that just look at the cultural state of affairs in Australia, France or America. All attempted to work under the principle of assimilation -- all have experienced a powerful backlash from immigrant and other communities as a result. No, my rant was more about the acceptance of non-assimilation AND the subsequent co-optation of another's values/community. While not all communities want to be co-opted, I cannot see any other way. If we want to be an inclusive society and a society built on substance, than we need to get past niceties and surface and go beneath and find common ground.
Post a Comment