Why should I be concerned about those poor saps left in the cities...the ones who have fallen victim to the technology trap? I've often found it curious to hear people in a large metropolis (or small one for that matter!) talk about "community".

Here are some open questions for each of you to ask yourselves:

1) Do you know all of your neighbors (at least 4 doors in each direction)?

2) When was the last time you had a meal with your neighbors?

3) What are the birthdays of your neighbor's kids?

4) Who do you have watch your house when you're gone? Do you need to have someone watch your house when you're gone?

If your idea of a community is not one where you can even answer these basic questions, what kind of a community is that?

Here's my point; society has become far too dependant on technology and less dependant on the human element. If we don't nuture these relationships now, there won't be time to do it later. Technology doesn't care about human suffering.

-- Daniel Buchner (buchner@excite.com), April 21, 1999

Answers

Pretty funny. The subject of Dan's thread is "Why should I care about you?" Then he talks about community. On an earlier thread, Dan says that "Everyone else can go straight to hell."

I'm glad that I don't live in Dan's community.

-- CJS (CJS@CJS.com), April 21, 1999.

CJS...

Ah, you're starting to see my briliance! It's only through trusting in and depending on and working with your neighbors that any of us will muddle through with any measure of success! We need to pity the people who don't have the benefit of this type of cummunity.

-- Daniel Buchner (buchner@excite.com), April 21, 1999.

Mr. Buchner,

There is a difference between community and tribalism. Having lived in both urban and rural environments, I can say with confidence that crime, vandalism and "un-neighborly" behavior occur everywhere. Many see rural America through rose-colored lenses. In truth, rural "folk" are not wiser or kinder than the rest of America. I have seen my share of fools in John Deere ball caps. Rural Americans depend on technology as much as "city folk." Farmers have millions tied up in sophisticated agricultural machinery. Satellite dishes sprout like weeds in the rural countryside. Rural self-sufficiency is largely mythical... as are country manners.

Regards,

-- Mr. Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), April 21, 1999.

read history,fear and hatred will be the prime political motivators the polititians will redirect the masses with anger,not touchy feeley lets-all-pull-together-hippy-love-free-range-chicken-pipe-dream-crap!! post Y2K order will be restored after the army tells the masses:walk the streets after dark and be shot.go outside without a pass and you'll be shot.looters will be shot.hoarders will be shot.gun-owners will be shot.those same polyannas you don't know next door yet sneer about your(impersonal doomster)casche of rice and beans will clamour for martial law.they will not convert.they will not take responsibility for their own lives,they'll continue,asleep,untill their lights turn off and no amount of whining,cajoling,prosyletizing,or just ranting(like this)will make them buy $100 worth of beans.they'll bring it upon us all,so quit feeling sorry for the unknown jerk american...all he does is watch COPS and cheer every time some slob with long hair gets busted,we'll all get what we ask for...as william s. burroughs said..."man is a bad animal"

-- smileyfacedhatefilledchristian (hitlerwillwearrepublicanclothing@gop.com), April 22, 1999.

This is the author of the website http://y2ksafeminnesota.hypermart.net; the sections it contains entitled "Verbal Security", "Warning Neighbors", and "Warning Relatives" have some light to shed on this topic, I believe. MinnesotaSmith

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), April 22, 1999.