Friday, October 14, 2005
Community spirit being killed - PDs
Busy modern living is killing community spirit around the country, the Progressive Democrats have claimed.Junior Finance Minister Tom Parlon (pictured left) today told a PD conference on Sustaining Communities that Ireland’s rapid economic growth in the past 20 years had also created profound social changes.
"While much of that change has been positive, many people feel that the sense of community, which for most of us has been a defining characteristic of Irish life, is fast diminshing," he said.
"Nobody in their right mind would want to go back to the dark days of the 1980s, however it is equally undeniable that the bonds which bind communities have been weakened over the same period.
"Too many people now work in one location, live in another and socialise in a third. They are resident in areas but not necessarily members of a community. Commuting is proving the great killer of community spirit."
I don't always find myself agreeing with the PDs but I do think they are right on this matter. The community spirit is dying in this country. Society is becoming more and more individualistic. People seem too wrapped up in their own little worlds I feel.
With all the success of the Celtic Tiger we have neglected to see what it has cost us - the sense of community involvement.
One has only to use public transportation in Dublin to observe this trend. Person gets on bus, sits beside stranger, takes out iPod, Discman or mobile phone and makes no effort to converse with the gentleman or lady sitting right next to him.
I think it's such a shame because I find meeting someone new and having a pleasant conversation to be a great way of brightening up the whole day.
We might have material wealth in this country. But that's not going to enrich our lives...
# posted by United Irelander @ 2:15 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
