Modern Communities Essay Example

I didn’t have to share my Cheerios with my cat” (Adams 107). It is rarely the case that one graduates from high school and enters into the career of their dreams.

Life unfortunately does not often work in this way.Although there is always an exception of the lucky few, most people end up working less than desirable jobs in order to assure that they will have the means to pay their bills. As a member of a community, it is important to try and understand the experiences of others in order to show them empathy. Practicing empathy is an essential value of a community.

This value must not only be practiced with individuals that we encounter in passing, but with people in which we also have close relationships. Nafisi states, “I believe in the kind of empathy that is created through imagination and through intimate, personal relationships” (Nafisi 109).Nafisi is referring to empathy shown towards an individual that one encounters on a regular basis and has established a close relationship with. When dealing with co-workers, classmates, and even family members there is likely to be vast differences in personal beliefs. My maternal uncle is Catholic and has very strict theological beliefs. We are both very aware of the differences that we hold when it comes to our morals and values.

Nafisi argues, “Though imagination and our desire for rapport, we transcend our limitations, freshen our eyes, and are able to look at ourselves and the world through a new and alternative lens” (Nafisi 109).All individuals have their own values and beliefs, which, at times can limit the amount of empathy we show towards others. Just

because someone has a different belief system from your own does not make them a bad person. While I do not necessarily agree with most of my uncle’s beliefs, I know that we will both be available to support and love each other and our family despite any theological differences. In addition, I am able to put myself in my uncle’s shoes and realize that our upbringing was a lot different.

This most likely contributes to our different belief systems.Another instance where the beliefs of members of a community did not affect their support for one another is in the case of Azar Nafisi. In the article, “I Believe in Empathy” by Azar Nafisi she describes her experience of being expelled from her job as a professor at the University of Tehran for refusing to wear a veil. While her students did not agree with her refusing to wear a veil, this did not stop them from defending her when she was expelled from her job. Nafisi states, “This experience in my life reinforces my belief in the mysterious connections that link individuals to each other despite their vast differences” (Nafisi 110).In the case of Azar Nafisi, we see empathy being shown throughout the community despite differences among members.

In an academic community, people may come from all over the world with one common goal. This is to further their education, and in turn better their lives. Due to the fact that students come from all over the world, there are bound to be vast differences in opinion. In order for an academic community to thrive, these differences must be put aside. Intimate relationships at

work, college, and within a family develop from face to face contact and by spending time with one another.Although there are communities that foster intimate relationships through face to face contact, there are some communities that threaten this type of intimacy.

An example of one of these would be the social networking community. The use of social networking websites such as Facebook have grown larger than anyone could have possibly imagined. This has caused the boundaries that exist between online communities and offline communities to blur. The Onion’s report “MySpace Outage Leaves Millions friendless” is of course fictitious, however, it highlights the consequences of these boundaries being blurred.The Onion reports, “We’re hoping to have friendship restored to our users as soon as possible” (The Onion 158).

This may seem like a gross exaggeration, implying that people would be without friendship if MySpace crashed, but for some it is not. Many people who find it difficult to function in normal social situations rely on social networking websites to interact with their “friends. ” Another MySpace user sates, “I vaguely remember trying to make friends pre-MySpace, but in 16 years I only made three real friends” (The Onion 160).Online communities do a relatively good job of mimicking offline communities. For many people online communities provide a sense of stability, serve the individuals needs, and accept us for who we are.

That being said, an online friendship can never replace a genuine and intimate offline friendship. In the article “Someone to Watch over me” the assumption that communities provide a sense of stability is challenged. For some social gatherings of any kind can make individuals feel awkward, nervous,

and anxious.As a result one may feel more comfortable as a part of an online community where there is no face to face contact. Stites argues, “Just imagine if we could be this good in person.

Online, everyone has bulletproof social armor” (Stites 163). As part of an online community individuals never have to worry about what their wearing and they will have plenty of time to think about what they are going to say. Also, if one finds themselves in a situation that makes them uncomfortable they can simply log off. Stites states, “Ostensibly, there are no flaws in this world.You don’t have to eat, and no one gets sick.

All members choose their body type, so no one is unattractive” (Stites 165). Stites is referring to the “ultimate” online community called SecondLife. SecondLife attempts to mimic a real world community in every way possible. In SecondLife one can have a career, husband or wife, an almost limitless amount of friends, and children as well.

However, in all reality, none of what is occurring is SecondLife is real. Stites avoids face to face contact with people which is a direct consequence of the boundaries being blurred between online and offline communities.Equality and empathy are indispensible values that a community must share. Before getting upset at someone it is important to try and understand the other person’s experience.

In today’s society people would rather check their friend’s facebook to see how their doing than make a simple phone call. The consequences of blurring the boundaries between online and offline communities are already becoming apparent in today’s society. A community thrives when people make a genuine

face to face connection without judging the other persons beliefs.