
I’d like to reflect on the PA Downtown Conference’s opening keynote presentation, which focused on how we can aspire to become a stronger, more unified nation. The speaker, Shaylyn Romney Garrett, co-authored The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do it Again. Her co-author was Robert Putnam, best known for Bowling Alone.
Romney Garrett shared how the Progressive Era of the early Twentieth Century brought people together to affect social, political, and economic change following a time of rampant individualism. She spoke about improvements that were made possible via settlement houses, labor unions, Black associations, women’s clubs, and the like, saying that change was brought about through the “immense collaboration of countless Americans living in a time of loneliness.”
By midcentury, the U.S. had experienced an “upswing” to a more communitarian society. But we’ve slipped back again. Hearing this – and seeing the data – reminded me of something I recently heard from one of my Appalachian Leadership Institute instructors, Dr. Tim Ezzell. He believes that self-centeredness is currently the biggest problem we have in this country. That makes twice in a three-week span that I’ve heard that individualism does not work well for us.
So what are we to do?
Romney Garrett holds that social, political, and economic change must begin with a change of heart. She argues that we don’t need to start in the halls of power, but rather in “places of heart, places of connection.” She shared that we often “skip right over neighborliness” in striving to affect change. It’s a critical misstep. She urged us to create a new “we” rather than blaming the other side for our societal problems. She calls for “over the back fence citizenship.”
And honestly, friends, this is the hardest part. When the person across the fence or down the hall has beliefs that are counter to your own (sometimes to the extreme) it is really hard to find the common ground, to recognize and acknowledge the best in them, and build trust and relationship. This is hard work. It’s an ongoing practice. And it’s essential. I’m going to be working on this for a long time (because, again, it’s not easy) and hope you will be, too. In the meantime, if you’re looking for ideas on keeping your own personal frustration at bay, you might want to check out my “Good Neighbor Resilience” post.