the Problem Of Place In America And my Neighborhood: The Breakdown :: essays research papers

"The Problem of keister in America" and "My Neighborhood" The segmentation ofCommunityWR 121 Paper 2     In Ray erstwhile(a)enburgs "The Problem of Place in America" and Ishmael reed instruments"My Neighborhood" the authors express thier dissatisfaction with the community.Oldenburg focuses on the pretermit of a " trinity place" and the effects of consumerismon the suburbs, while Reed recalls his experience with prejudice communities.Their aim is to name fusss in our society that they point out to be a problem.Although neither of these authors offer solutions, the fact that these problems ar address is enough.     Some basic similarities between these two authors is they are twainattempting to identify problems in our society today. There are many that areail our society at this time, yet I agree with them in their deductions. Itseems that they expect addressed two of the main ills today, prejudic e andconsumerism. These keep our communities from becoming unified. aid is one ofthe prevalent themes in both essays. In Oldenburgs essay the suburbanite fearsthe un cheatn, his neighbors. pack feel threatened by the size of thecommunities and they do not know anyone. These is due partly to consumerism,which keeps nation indoors. Reed was feared because of the color of his skin.Dogs would bark at him as he walked by, cops would enter his own home to harasshim, people would yell racial slurs, and he was even watched closely to make positive(predicate) that he did not abduct a child off the street. These fears are a result ofthe media and our society telling us to fear true types of people.Television often portrays the black man as a potbelly dealing slander who hangs outon corners with a forty of "Old E." Soon people dismount to believe all that theyhear and begin to discriminate against others.     One glaring difference in the two authors essays is that they bothaddress the same problem yet they touch on differing aspects. Oldenburg dialogabout the deterioration of the suburbs. One reason is that there is no thirdplace. This is where we come to grips with our lives, relax, and reflect. Thiscould be a community center, a secluded slip in the woods, or a coffee shop atthe corner. The problem is that these places simply do not exist in the suburbs.One must get in their car, use gas, and drive to a place of meeting. This essence planning out the whole rendezvous point in conjure up and making sure thatthe person you want to meet can be there. Consumerism also keeps the community