A Chain Reaction: How An Individual Decision Can Impact a Community.

It is important to engage in our community to become productive and well-rounded individuals in society.  Putnam has given examples as to how we can increase social capital, which is social networks and trust, which is how we defined it in class.  I agree with Putnam when he points out in his work Bowling Alone that we should be involved in clubs, such as bowling leagues, his great example.  I believe that it brings people together in the sense of bridging, rather than bonding because you are bringing together people of different backgrounds into a common light.  This is important as a community because if you unite people of different backgrounds the social capital will increase, resulting in a stronger community.  Also, by being a member of a club, it increases not only collective social capital, but individual social capital as well.  Individual social capital is a necessity to becoming a “whole” person.  The more people you know and the more people you can rely on, the richer your life and the experiences you have will be.  Life is all about moments and what you do with the memories you gain.

            However, besides Putnam’s example of joining clubs as increasing social capital, we also talked about several other examples in class on Tuesday.  Several other ways to increase social capital exist, and they could be considered more useful than just joining clubs.  One miniscule way someone can increase trust and other feelings in the community is by holding the door for others when you enter or leave a location.  Small gestures such as that, and others like shaking hands, saying hello/goodbye, and making eye contact when you speak, are all ways that trust can be established in a community.  It shows the genuine nature of ones character and it is a trait that most people will not forget. 

            Being a frequent supporter of local causes, teams, and benefits is also another way that trust and social networks can be established.  In my town, my Mother is part of the Relay for Life team and they raise money for cancer awareness.  Due to the fact that she is apart of that, she is known as someone my community can count on to help out wherever is needed.  She is known to be a good-spirited person because she participates in several other fundraisers, benefits, and teams in my community.  By making the individual decision to be active and support aspects of your community, it could be a chain reaction.  By a chain reaction, I mean that if one person seems to be getting positive feedback from participating in said events, then more people will follow that example.

            I guess what I am trying to say is that being your own person and following your individual decisions all the way can truly cause a chain reaction.  I believe that in saying that, it is important to set a positive example for others in the hopes that they will also follow what you are doing.  If chain reactions happened more frequently, I believe that communities would have a strong collective social capital, as well as a strong individual one.