Complacency is on the rise, and has been for the last several decades. While we have made huge strides in technology, it seems that with each advance we lose more of our sense of community. Our world is in a state of overload. We have the ability to see and read what is happening all around the world, which in itself is wonderful. However, there is so much information to process that it tends to make even the worst tragedies seem routine and impersonal.

Our society is increasingly mobile, and with families and friends in a constant state of movement we no longer tend to build the lifetime bonds which were so common in the past. According to the US Census Bureau, about one in six Americans move each year, for an average of almost twelve moves over a lifetime. That is a staggering fact to consider. Many of us live at least several hundred miles from our families which means that we only get to see them a few times a year, if we are fortunate. Friendships often end after a move because it is too difficult to maintain the relationship from a distance.

Let's not forget about the Internet. We have the entire world at our fingertips, which makes it easy to form electronic friendships. While being very similar to the pen pals of the past, it is not nearly as time consuming. With our lives being as busy as they are, it is too easy to spend time "socializing" from the comfort of our homes. Not that there is anything wrong with it in general, but some may neglect to nurture real life relationships because it takes more work.

In the past, people were more interdependent because communities were encapsulated. Each town had independently owned grocery stores, butcher shops, etc. Now, we have strip malls and superstores. The mom and pop businesses are almost gone, and with them the days in which we all got to know one another are gone as well. In the time in which we live, if we need something we hop into our cars and drive to a place where we can get everything we need in one place, or we get onto the Internet and have it delivered to our doors.

Yes, we are becoming more complacent and I can see how it has happened. All of our advances have made it easy to avoid contact with others. As a matter of fact, it seems as though it takes extreme effort in our society to maintain long-term, caring relationships. While the advances we have made are very impressive, they have also had a role in tearing apart our family and social structures. We all need to unplug once in a while and spend face-to-face time with one another. It might make us more sensitive to the fact that the terrible things that we are assaulted with in the media each day are happening to real people, not just a face on the television screen.

The days in which we stay in our hometowns near our family and childhood friends are long gone. It is imperative that we find ways to bring back some of the old sense of belonging. People have become too disposable in my opinion, and if we do not find ways to change that in our own lives, things are only going to decline. I know that we cannot turn back time and stay in the places that we grew up. However, no matter where we may move to, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with organizations that better the community. Whether it is delivering meals to seniors, volunteering at the local library, or simply attending "town hall" meetings we can reconnect with humanity and redevelop the lost art of compassion.

Learn more about this author, Tracy A. Moore.
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