Community as Belonging

By Robert Sireno
Creativity + Social Change, University of Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut

Thinking About Community ... Community as Belonging
(ideas about the concepts of “Community”)

Looking back over my life, I have used the word community, or heard it used, many times, and seemed to recognize what was referred to each time. First, a community is usually made up of individuals with common interests and/or values -- the Italian community; the scientific community, the Christian community. A community can be made up of individuals of all possible descriptions, backgrounds, hopes, needs, potentials. Or in some cases a specific knowledge is needed.

The community can have a common location -- the East Side, the Senior Center, or in some instances, it can come together at various locations -- People for Change, interfaith organizations. The internet has created a virtual community with an electronic location. Whether this is true community is in question. A community usually occupies space.

A community usually has significant social interaction. Members of a community can relate to one another on certain levels, discussing things, deciding things, enjoying one another’s company, envisioning the future. Members usually follow agreed upon rules for their community.

Bringing all this together I see that community has a definite structure behind it. It is a group of individuals, occupying space in a specific location, and following agreed upon rules to continue their existence as a community.

These individuals have some sort of common interests or values that draws them to the community where they can take part in significant social interactions, possibly envisioning the future.

__________

Why community ? “Belonging” is a human need (see Maslow’s Hierarchy). Human beings are social creatures. We grow as humans through relationship with others and their acceptance of us, and caring for us. Without this relationship, we cannot realize our self-worth and become contributing members of society.

Through our interactions and sharing with others in community we are able to see meaning in our lives and arrive at an understanding of our overall purpose. Our individual lives take on worth as a part of the whole of human existence. We have reason for living. Without this feeling of worth by our citizens, our overall society would suffer from the lack. Future growth and progress would be limited to our governmental city planning and maintenance. There would be no citizen input or even interest. Social Change would be non-existent.

We as citizens must take the initiative to insist on the incorporation of spaces for meeting and community in present and future projects. Places where individuals could fulfill that need as human beings for belonging. Spaces where they could get to know one another and exchange ideas. Through community we would begin to be heard. To create a society in which we can belong. To sculpt society to our own vision and needs.