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What is Superb about the Burbs?

Psychology Today had an interesting analysis of modern society back in the 70's in an article called "The Harsh Cruel World of the Affluent Society". It sketched out the realities forming in an increasingly isolated and impersonal suburban life in America. Boy have these observations come true! There was a day when everyone thought they could flee to the suburbs for "the good life". That turned out to be an empty pursuit. The greatest evidence of this emptiness was seen in the lives of young people. Suicide becoming the 2nd highest killer of teens in those years. Now there is increasing talk of "community centers" forming in the suburbs- like in Southlake, recently listed as the number one highest per family income in America in 2008. Wonder if it's working.

Mark Driscoll recently commented on this trend in his book “ The Radical Reformission”

"People are increasingly busy, isolated, lonely, disconnected, and without any helpful solutions in the culture. The isolation is now so entrenched that many people don’t know how to practice hospitality. This trend is even reflected in new architecture, which replaces large dining and living rooms designed for human contact with walk in closets, home offices, and personal entertainment rooms. Here lonely people can watch sitcoms about friendships and reality-based shows in which characters pretend to interact with human beings, a thing apparently fascinating and foreign to many lonely, isolated individuals.

Living alone, driving alone, eating alone, sleeping alone, having sex alone, and working alone make many people so depressed that they cope with the assistance of medication rather than human contact. Some however seek out human connection through groups, as 40 percent of all Americans are now in some form of group (Sunday schools, support groups, writing groups, self improvement groups, cause-oriented groups, therapy groups, writing groups, civic-betterment group, recovery groups, weight loss groups, literary groups), because they are dying of loneliness particularly if they are single and even more so if they are divorced."

Matt 9:36-38
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (NIV)

Comments

  1. kyle carlsonDecember 20, 2008 at 9:04 PM

    Welcome to the world of blogging, brother. Look forward to keeping up with your insights.

    ReplyDelete

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