This past weekend, my family was staying with our friends in their home in Lake Geneva. Cruising through the winding roads with the beautiful views, we passed a huge farm that was now covered in snow. My friend told me that during the summer, the farmer sells his vegetables at a stand on the streetside. When he has to leave and can no longer monitor the stand, he puts a sign there- reading what the prices of each vegetable are- and a box to put money in. He trusts that his customers will pay the correct price in exchange for what they are taking.
Growing up on the North Shore, this story greatly surprised me. In Wilmette, you can't even go into a store for a couple minutes without locking your car and double checking that it is locked for sure. Last week, my friends and I were in town and when we were almost in a store my friend stopped and said "I forgot to lock the car!" with great worry and ran back to do just that. Isn't the contrast interesting that we find it ludricrous to leave our belongings unattended.
I don't know half of the people that live on my block. The suburbs, contrary to the countryside, are much more compact and close-knit. So why is our community less connected than that of the country? What makes urban living more cynical than rural? It makes me sad that here, in Lake Geneva, many of the people know each other, but at home, I don't know a majority of the people that live in the town. Sure, the suburbs obtain a greater population, but you would think we would be more well-acquainted since the houses are closer to each other.
Why is this the case? Is it due to the fact that the suburbs have a greater crime rate? Is something obstructing the chance of complete peace and serenity in the community? Or is it that there are more institutions and a more diverse culture than in the suburbs? We have more schools and workplaces than the country, so is that a factor? Or is it a combination of all of these things?
I love the contrast that you brought up here between the countryside and the suburbs. Going along with that idea, I think the contrast between the city and suburbs is also an interesting one. The typical "American dream" picture is a family with a house and a yard and a white picket fence. This scene would most likely take place in the suburbs because there is usually space for these kinds of houses in the city. Although this picture often demonstrates the ideal American life, I have found the people who live in the city think just the opposite of this. They believe the city is the best place to live and the suburbs are boring. While this stereotypical scene of the house and family with the white picket fence may be seen as ideal to many people, I think it is interesting how people who live in the city, or even the countryside, have different views on where the ideal place to live is. I think the reason for this could be something you mentioned in your blog about the sense of community you get from each of these different places.
ReplyDelete