Community ties

Wealth comes in many forms. Watching the people in this video ("The Cause of Labour is the Hope of the World", from the film The Miners' Hymns), it is difficult to escape the conclusion that, over the last few decades, spiritual wealth seems to have declined in almost direct proportion to the increase of material well-being.  A good example of this, I think, has been the proliferation of technological gadgetry, and the effect this has had on our communities.


Prior to the arrival of television, the little leisure time that townsfolk had was more than often spent together, at home, in pubs, on the streets, in parks, and so on. This social life - not to be confused with today's life as mediated by Social Media - along with community events like those of the miners had the effect of cementing the structures of society by binding people together through face-to-face interaction, which often resulted in relationships, a sense of interdependence and friendships.


TV, however, brought the whole planet and everybody else straight into our living rooms, thus bypassing the need to go out in order to meet people and hear the news, and instead allowing people to connect with the outside world from the comfort of their own sofa. In this way, the social unit became ever smaller, and by the 80's community experiences were being reduced from grand gatherings and street parties to family dinners or water cooler discussions about last night's soap opera.


At least scheduled programming and the need to prepare food kept people in the same psychological time zones, but even these unifying structures have begun to crumble over the last decade. Laptops, smart phones and on-demand entertainment in the palm of your hand, along with ready meals and fast food, are now doing to the family unit - the most basic building block of society - what TV did to the street community. Eating together, playing  together or even just huddling in front of the television in common anticipation of the latest episode of The Simpsons are fast becoming increasingly rare. Instead, today's individuals come, eat, play and go as and when suits their own timetables.


While technological innovations are surely not the only culprit, our social spheres have indeed become increasingly solitary over the last 50 or so years - and this has naturally lead to the fragmentation of society. Just compare and contrast our early 21st century town-life to the the people in this video. Dressed in their Sunday best, they look strong and cohesive; full of vigour, a sense of community and self-respect - not to be confused with its bastardised cousin: street "respec". Their purpose and drive are palpable, while the pride they take in their work is evident, and they also exhibit an awareness of something greater than themselves. 


These are all important components of being civilized - and they are all in danger of being lost amidst the blooming buzzing confusion of today's increasingly atomized world. So, if anyone knows of similar displays happening these days, do let me know - because it's moving stuff, people at their best. Enjoy (The video needs sound; hat tip, Eamonn).