The Difference Between the Two

          “Unlike our economic system, the hunter-gatherer economic system rests on a set of highly formalized expectations regarding cooperation and sharing.”(Milton pg 7) Unfortunately, we have lost our sense of community. There was a time in early American history, where people cared about their fellow man. However, “City life made the “eye” and the “I” more important than they had been in the Village.”(Reilly pg 29) Self-preservation has become more important than the well-being of one’s own “brother” or “sister.” I find it difficult to find a place in modern society that truly promotes and nourishes communal growth. While both Milton and Reilly may have validity in both arguments, I believe that modern people who are driven by the acquisition of material goods have indeed lost some of their humanity. Furthermore, if we would readopt some of the values of the “village life,” we can then stimulate collective growth, minimize unhealthy completion and encourage much more sustainable and moral family lives.

            Reilly states that “class divisions were, however, a definite stimulus to productivity and creativity in the early city civilization.”(Reilly pg31) Reilly was showing us that, because of the separation between the different classes, some were able to live prosperous while others were left to their own spoil. As an individual who is familiar with city life from personal experience, it is accurate to conclude that most people in the city are willing to “step on” anyone they possibly can to ensure their personal and family’s immediate survival. However, the commoners—typically considered low class individuals—are left with nothing. “As a result their horizons were severely limited.” (Reilly pg31) By implementing a system where everyone is truly considered equal, the morale of the “commoner” can be raised and bring about enthusiasm toward building a more promising community, and society would then be able to flourish like never before. A flourishing society takes away the insecurities of its people, and gives a more positive outlook on the city itself.

            Not only would adopting some of the “village life” values stimulate collective growth, but it will also help to minimize unhealthy competition. “This didn’t mean that hunter-gatherers didn’t compete with one another for prestige…” (Milton pg6) This simply means that they had a different perspective of what should be competed for and what was necessary for survival. Unhealthy competition can cause people to lose respect for one another. For example, when a hunter kills a large animal, he knows instantly that, that animal is not merely for the feeding of himself and his immediate family, but that it is to be shared with everyone in that village. In fact, He was not allowed to even take his own portion off of the animal; it had to be given to him. (Milton pg6) While we have established that not all competition is bad competition; however, unhealthy competition also promotes selfishness. “Unable to contemplate returning to life without steel axes, the Indians begin to produce extra arrows or blow guns or hunt additional game….” (Milton pg7) Mass production of goods causes the depletion of natural resources and less of abundance for the common man. It then becomes a vicious cycle where it’s every man for himself.

            What shall we say then? If would only readopt some of the values of the “village life”, we not only can stimulate collective growth and minimize unhealthy competition, but we can also encourage a more sustainable family life. “The most important possession that the Indians carry with them is knowledge.” (Milton pg5) Without knowledge of how to operate in the “us” most individuals will automatically adopt the theory of the “I.” However, a moral and sustainable family life takes the focus off the individual and places it on the family unit. This also promotes a very keen sense of interdependence where individuals can rely on one another for guidance and to lend that helping hand if needed. Though “the villager knew everyone personally,” and “cities brought together people who often did not even speak the same language.” (Reilly pg 28) if there was an equal balance of the two, people would be able to live harmoniously with minor issues. In lieu of that idea, healthy families stimulate growth and personal development. A healthy personal development alongside discipline, can and will minimize crime in the city.

            “Once a society has reached a level of abundance, once it can offer technological means, the educational opportunities, the creative outlets necessary for everyone to lead meaningful, happy, healthy lives, then classes may be a hindrance.” (Reilly pg 31) Social class is just a way to keep the rich, rich, and the poor, poor. This is more of a reason for families to stick together, and become one unit. The pursuit of the “I” causes people to lose focus on the big picture, which is, that no matter what your social class, we still need each other to survive. It is ridiculous for a person to think that he or she could possibly make it in this world—on this planet—alone. We are creatures of cohabitation, form the existence of man, we have been cohabiting with each other, be it to find a mate, or just for companionship. I think that it is inhumanity at his finest to just write someone off for the sake of your own personal survival. If you survive and are alone, then what an African proverb suggest the theory that “I am because you are and because you are therefore I am.” I agree with Milton when she implies that if we could but go back to the jungle life that we would be much happier than we are now. (Milton pg10)

Acoholism in Urban Communities

Yesterday I saw a homeless man passed out on the street, with a half empty bottle of Hennessey spilling all him. This guy didn’t wake up for a few hours. The next time I saw him, he was at a septa train station, with the same clothes on and the same bottle of Hennessey in one hand and an empty cup in the other hand asking for change. This highly perturbed me, but the worst part was that neither he nor anyone else seemed to think there was anything wrong with it. This was literally on my mind all day, but I tried to ignore it and just went on to take care of my business for the day. Later that week, a buddy of mine and I were walking long Germantown Ave. near where I live, and I made a very enlightening discovery. I discovered that literally with in a half a mile radius, there are three places to buy and consume alcohol. I understand if we were in center city, or something of that nature, but we are in a run down, dilapidated residential area. Hoping it was just a coincidence, I went to some of the rural areas- the top of Germantown Ave, Willow Grove, and Bucks County- and I found that there aren’t nearly as many liquor stores in the residential communities. So, I came up with the conclusion that the liquor stores are strategically placed in the urban communities, designed to promote alcoholism amongst minorities.

            Studies show that 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related. Growing up without a dad because, he could not control the drinking, then turned to physically abusing my mom. She was forced to leave. Likewise, how many fathers do you see lying on the streets passed out, no care in the world, no job and no desire to better themselves. On the contrary, alcohol is also seen as an anti-depressant. So now you have an addictive stress reliever, that’s easily accessible by a community of people who suffer from mental oppression. Most who suffer from alcoholism to the extreme usually begin to look for other ways to curve this appetite and need to feel inebriated in some way, form or fashion, that the in turn go on the other types of drugs, like marijuana, crack cocaine, or even heroine. Anything to ease the pain, of an otherwise painful reality, from which there seems no relief.

            Now, I guess from a business aspect, this may seem like a gold mine. You have a whole group of individuals who are searching for a way out (even if only mental) and willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Mostly the reason, that these places are in place, is because it’s good for business. If I were selling Girl Scout cookies in a place where, cookies were their ideal snack, I would make a fortune. It’s the same concept. Alcohol companies, make a large chunk of their profit from urban communities. In fact, some conspiracies would suggest, that the placement of alcohol in urban areas, is indeed strategic, designed to keep the minorities in that same place. Another simple reason that companies choose urban areas to set up shot for liquor stores, is because they know that no one in that area is going to contest having them there. If fact, most would actually welcome them to move into the community. If you invited me to a place where I knew I would make a fortune, but didn’t really have to do much work, I indeed would do the same thing. Move right on in.

            Though most people don’t really see a problem with alcoholism in urban communities, I have to differ. I would agree with most conseprisist, that alcoholism in urban areas is strategic. I could see if, when I went to the other areas, it was the same, but it wasn’t. Actually it was noticeable different. The rural communities were very community focused, and family oriented. Urban communities and the people in it, have enough to contend with in the day to struggle to get by, and it doesn’t help having a depressant, antidepressant polluting the neighborhoods. It’s truly an oxymoron. You take away the mind of the individual, and you can do anything to that person and the people around them that you want. What happens is, the person who cannot control himself then begins to act out and brings down the value of the neighborhood and makes people not feel safe in their own communities. It destroys families, breaks communities, and sets a negative example to the you in the area, making them feel that they really have no way out.

Life as we know it

Life As We Know it.

            “I’ve had some good days; I’ve had some hills to climb. I’ve had some weary days, and some sleepless nights, but when I look around, and I think things over, all of my good days out weigh my bad days, and I won’t complain”. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother used to always make try and make me sing this song to her. She would say “Rambo” (as only she could say) “come here and sing me this song”. Being a child growing up in the slums of our nation’s capital, the last thing I wanted to do was be in the house singing a song; especially when I could hear all my cousins outside running around, and playing games. Frustrated, I would sigh, “grandma I want to go outside” then she would let me go. Never letting up, at every family function, or at every one of her birthday celebrations, she would ask me to sing this song. Most times, I tried to sing the song, (mostly because I didn’t have much of a choice) but the song be written in a key too high for my screeching voice to reach, I would get upset and storm out as soon as I was done. I never under stood why of all the songs in the world to choose from, she always wanted me to sing this one.

            I was already a troubled youth. Watching my dad in his drunken mess, whip and beat my mom, I became angry. I remember one day my brother sister and I were all laying in the bed with my mom, my dad comes in and immediately kicks me off of the bed. Crying, I left the room and proceeded to the kitchen. My mom came in after me, and he after her. I grabbed the broom and began to lay the body of the plastic wrapped metal body of the broom, to my stumbling drunk dads head. Afraid that he would hurt me, my mother sent me to live with my grandmother. I love my grandmother dearly. People from the neighborhood would come over all the time, asking for Mama Greene. She would cook dinner for the hungry, provide shelter for the homeless, was a mother to the motherless and prayed for those who need prayer. This woman was truly a gift to us all. Eventually my mother came back into the picture of my life, but growing up with my grandmother, I had already far surpassed my years in wisdom.

            When I moved back in with my mother, it was like turmoil all over again. Now scared and emotionally damaged by my father, she begins to act out. I remember nights of her getting high and drunk, and partying. So I went from living the good life with grandma, to taking care of three kids, myself included. Thankfully, I remembered everything I had already learned from her, and was able to successfully take care of my siblings. Eventually, mom got it together. We began going to church, and developing a spirituality which helped in a lot of areas in our lives. Unfortunately, it didn’t really help with stability. I went to four elementary, three junior high schools, and six high school (five of which were in my senior year). I never really got the chance to build any long lasting relationships, all I knew is that my brother and sister had me, and I had them. At this point, we were living in Chesterfield County Va., a place where we finally thought we could call home. Then all of sudden, our foundation is rocked yet again. My mom tells us that were moving back to D.C... It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, especially since this meant that now I got to see my grandmother more often.

            Just out of high school, I had to watch my mother go through a second divorce, causing us to lose our home. Desperate, with no place to go, we moved in with my grandmother. That was an experience in itself. Children running around all, aunts and uncles loud talking and cursing all the time, and I can remember grand mom, calm in the midst of it all just sitting in her wheel chair, humming the song to herself, “but when I look around, and think things over, I won’t complain”. Tired and unrested from sleeping sitting up at the dinner table because there was no room on the couch or floor for me to sleep, I became frustrated. I counted sixteen people to this three bedroom apartment. Not to mention insects, and roaches. When we finally moved into our own place, it was little better. We moved into a one bedroom apartment, in Landover, where we stayed as I went off to college. The University of The District of Columbia, as the first person in my family to actually go to college, I was more than excited.

            By now I had a job, and thought it was ok to move out. After all, our place had begun to become full, with my mom and her new boyfriend, my pregnant sister and her boyfriend, myself and my brother; we were all right on top of each other. Thus, I moved in with my girlfriend at the time. We then went on to get married. Feeling the pressure and urge to provide for myself and my wife, I dropped out of school and started working full time. I worked from six thirty am, until about five pm... Making great money, and feeling financially stable, we decided it was time we moved into a real apartment. Wow, our first real apartment, stainless steel appliances, island in the kitchen, Jacuzzi style bath tub, vanity mirrors and a washer and dryer in the apartment. We had finally made it. Later that year, we were scammed, for all the money we had in the bank. Devastated we needed to get away, so we came to visit her parents in Philly for the Christmas holiday. Two days later, I get a phone call informing me that my grandmother had passed away. I immediately broke down in tears. Snot running down my nose, my face drenched in a pool of tears, I fell to my knees laid my face on my wife bosom. I had never felt anything like this before, literally my heart was broken and I could physically feel the pain.

            When we returned back to home, I was still in shock. Now preparing for the funeral, I pulled myself together. I knew I had to be strong for my family. Everyone weak, and worn out from the shock and pain. We comforted one another and tried to make the best out of the situation. Despite the pain and hurt I was going through, I volunteered to sing at the funeral. Everyone asked and asked “Ron what are you going to sing?” I never answered them. Finally we get to the ceremony and they are asking if people had anything to say, and everyone had something to say. Then I hear, “were going to ask Brother Ron to come up and render us a selection”. So I swallowed my tears, whipped my face, took a deep breath and shouted with a loud voice “I’ve had some good days, I’ve had some hills to climb; I’ve had some weary days, and some sleepless nights” now with my voice starting shake and tears running down my face, “but when I look around, and I think things over, all of my good days, outweigh my bad days, and I wont complain.”

City Planning article

“Surviving, it is a description of life in the Richard Allen Homes…” (Cohn 2) Being relatively new to the city of Philadelphia, I must say, at first glance there is no hope for this place. There are run-down buildings, garbage covered streets and not to mention the very strong and vile smell that hits you right in the mouth when entering any underground subway platform. Unable and unwilling to travel the city—for various reasons—this aggravated truth remained prevalent to me and my perspective of “Philly living.” Over the summer, I had the privilege to actually travel and explore the city, and concluded that “in the designed environment, pain manifest itself as unfriendly or hostile places.” (Greenberger 38) In lieu of that, I decided to stop complaining and to become a part of the solution. I live in perhaps one of the most popular places in north Philadelphia; home of the famous Max’s Steaks, and Black and Nobel bookstore, as well as Temple University Hospital, Broad and Erie Avenue also known as Nice Town. Standing on the corner of Erie Ave and Broad Street, after just leaving one of the local restaurants, a thought rushed me like the breeze of cold winter air. I realized, that by revitalizing the Broad and Erie—Nice Town—section of the city, we can then bring pride to the community, encourage social and economic growth among the residents and attract new residents to the city as a whole.

            By revitalizing this small but very popular area, we can bring pride into the otherwise careless community that currently exists there. “The despair that the neighborhood keeps this community in, I think it begins to psychologically affect the people.” (Cohn 3) Buildings aren’t going to fix themselves up, and trash isn’t going to pick itself up, we have to do it. However, we cannot begin this work if no one sees that it is indeed an issue. By educating the residents on the current conditions of the blighted community, we can begin to mold a different point of view and evoke an otherwise dormant desire for change. For starters, things like community clean up days. It doesn’t cost the city any money, for the people to come out and clean up their own neighborhoods. It gives the people the chance to get out and meet one another; it also gives them a sense of pride about their living conditions. However, “… for me, beauty resides in more than the visual characteristics of a place. It resides in the way those characteristics are brought to bear on the life they contain, protect, and inspire.” (Greenberger 39)

            Also, by educating the residents on their current social and economic status, we can then begin to change the way that the majority of the people think in the neighborhood. “As a man thinks, so is he” a very popular saying, but holds some of the most imminent truths about how we view ourselves today. So, the idea of changing the way people think of themselves “will” indeed evoke a “required” change in the neighborhood. “It’s not that people who live there don’t care…” (Cohn 5) they are just uninformed. However, we can implement community outreach programs in which we have people volunteer to come and teach the residents how to flourish in the society socially and economically. For example: class on how to obtain and maintain good credit, classes on controlled spending habits, as well as classes on work place preparations (how to build a resume, what to wear to a job interview, work place etiquette and more). By doing this I can minimize the idea that “mentally, it’s not really a home, it’s not really a community,” that “it’s just a place to live until you find someplace else.” (Cohn 3)

            Once we have done this, we can attract new residents to the area. “The sweet spot is that place in an environment where perceptions converge in harmony and new connections are revealed, even if only for a moment.” (Greenberger 38)When looking for a new place to live, there are two things that people most commonly look for. The first thing is the property itself and secondly, how the neighbors and the neighborhood are as a whole. The more people that live in an area, typically the more room for opportunity you have. For example: If more business owners live in this area, there would be no apprehension in building businesses in the area. More businesses mean more job opportunities. A man who lives in the Richard Allen Projects in north Philadelphia said “I can see them saying, if you’re able-bodied, you shouldn’t have to get welfare… but they tell you this and then they never tell you about any jobs.” (Cohn 3) With more jobs, people begin to spend more, and taxes can be used to build more resourceful public libraries, and recreation centers, to keep the minds of otherwise disenfranchised youth from being idle. Making the neighborhood even more marketable, because not only is it clean now, but it’s safe.

            “Our most important role as designers is to create the network through which the positive energy of life can flow and the spaces in which the sources of positive energy intersect and enrich life.” (Greenberger 38) It may seem a little difficult at first; however, once we get everyone on the same page in the neighborhood then we can start the process. I am sure that the local business in the area would be more than willing to help any way they can. Just knowing that this means that they won’t have to worry that some starving person is going to come in, and steal from them. You can sometimes see the pain that the long time business owners have, they don’t want to leave they want the people to get better. If the area were nicer and had more to offer, I too would stay after I am done with college. “We can successfully apply these skills at the scale of a building and at the scale of the city, as long as we approach our work with a measure of humanity and a belief that events we can set in motion eventually take on a life of their own.” (Greenberger 38-39)