And for the more edgy and dark visual experience about Chicago's infamous public housing units and gang violence that was intertwined within this social community development, watch that clip HERE.
Watching the above hyperlinked sources I gained a much more intense, and humanly affected experience of how these distraught and infamous neighborhoods filled with "gangs, drugs, misery and murder" looked and behaved. Furthermore, I was able to empirically travel to "Little Hell", a neighborhood housing project plagued by the high-rise containments, as Sampson highlights in his text. He mentions this neighborhood and that of Cabrini Green, a similar public housing creation more negatively plagued, in which both were demolished and rebuilt anew in efforts to improve the former living conditions. Sampson indirectly discusses these were acts of triage and that this sort of pursuit is not viable and not necessarily needed. He does suggest to repair existing structures and to not design escape routes. He points out that if these problems are left unattended, former high-crime destinations will only produce newer versions of concentrated disadvantages. Summarizing his theory from the text, he states
"… Intervene holistically at the scale of neighborhoods, communities, and cities themselves. Rather than simply move people out of targeted communities, the idea is to renew what is already there while simultaneously investing in communities on the edge of critical need but not yet deemed policy-relevant. Communities can serve as a unit not just of social science theory and method, but of holistic policy intervention that prioritizes the interconnected social fabric." -Sampson (p. 421)
AKA
Collective Efficacy
I have taken a rather abstract path to answering the posed questions by Professor Jeffrey because I felt it was needed to experience fully, as much as allowed, in this Chicago neighborhood phenomena. Not surprisingly, the basic fundamentals discovered by Sampson in this decade long study exist all around each and every one of us, yet, in different degrees. The basis of this social research ties into each and every neighborhood and community. The "interconnected social fabric" that binds together communities is extremely vital to long-term community welfare. Insomuch that the term or length of community existence is mentioned, it is logical and obvious enough that not only looking from here on out, we must take into account what got us here as well. Sampson did not shy away from this observation and I hinted to the benefit of this investigation earlier in my post when contrasting the most infamous failure of public housing in U.S. history, the Cabrini Green projects.
All standpoints considered, I do believe community is thriving. The revolution of technology and modern improvement of all kinds, from science to philanthropic efforts, in the world and the communities that make up the world, are becoming a better place. Better is a somewhat general term, and I use the term because describing the omnipotence of the modern world is a lofty accomplishment. Albeit, the transfer and ease of access to knowledge in this 21st century world creates more power. Sampson hit on this point twice referring to the grafittied images he walked past that reflected on the importance of education, and that fundamentally tie to intelligence. The graffiti's message read, " Intelligence is not fighting the powers that be but developing the powers to be."
The second reference came from suggesting that the agenda to evaluate interventions wouldn't be using specific policies as guidance, but rather the goal of researching and positively interlocking social infrastructure in neighborhoods, would be to provide robust knowledge. Knowledge is power, and knowledge is present everywhere today. The 21st century neighborhood is a dynamic, powerful, and ever-changing creation intertwined with social creatures that organize life through individual action. Sampson put his theoretical bets on this idea and I feel as though his claim is fundamental in creating a sustainable community deeply threaded and developed with collective efficacy and social altruism.
The vision of a 22nd century neighborhood may vary differently by visual aesthetic and design of houses or geographic location. However, the basic makeup and fundamental attributes that create long-term great cities, remain the same. It starts with individual action and works it's way through the complex dynamic of the community and neighborhood system. It is evident enough now that each of us are members and important components of a great thriving world community. We must realize the power that is within each of us, that must be used for the collective betterment and efficacy for us all. Our social well-being to continue these thriving times must be directed and planted deeply within the grounds of wholly beneficial altruistic behavior. These are the times! THESE ARE OUR TIMES!
"With great power, comes great responsibility."
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