Neighborly Relations and Friendship - Essay Example

Introduction A sense to belong is very crucial to every person in the society. However, there are factors that influence the relation of people with the society. Among the factors is the age of an individual. Statistics that have been conducted indicate that older people are more strongly related with their neighbors. Several factors can be pointed out as to causes of stronger bonds with the society, among them being the dependency of the older people. As people fatigue, they need a society to assist them in their activities and thus realize how much they need them. Young people, on the other hand, are energetic and can perform most of their work by themselves. Therefore, they do not engage a lot with individuals around them and also the society at large. Discussion The table indicates the percentage of people who strongly agree or agree with the fact that they have a sense to belong to the neighborhoods they live. People interviewed are divided with respect to their age, and their response indicated in percentage. They are also categorized by their sex. From the table, it is evident that people in the older age group both males and female have a higher percentage of a sense of belonging in their neighborhoods. However, the percentage varies between male and female. Female respondents have a higher percentage on their sense of belonging than male respondents 84% in males and 85% in female in the age group of 75-79 years. The difference in the opinion of men and women may be attributed to the differences in the social characteristics of both male and female. Another issue that can be derived in the table is that there is an increase in the percentage of the people who feel that they belong to the society they reside as their age increases. This aspect occurs to both male and female respondents. People in the highest age group have the highest percentage of fitting in the society. The aspect can be attributed to the fact that old people have wide experiences in their neighborhoods. They have been in the society for a long time, and the society has absorbed them. They also do not have the energy or the will to relocate to new places. The aspect is common to both male and female as the table indicates that both male and female respondents above the age of 80 years have the same percentage on their feeling of belonging, 84% of both male and female respondents agreed to this fact. In table 2, the issue of friendship is also related to age. Older people appreciate friends’ more than younger people. The percentage of people who appreciates their friends increase as their age increases. However, there is a difference in percentage of both male and female. Female respondents are seen to have a greater percentage than male respondents. Thus, they appreciate friends more than male. The percentage indicates 81% males and 83% females in the age group of 80 and above agree to the fact. Conclusion From the information obtained, it becomes clear that the age of a person is influential in their feeling of belonging to the society. Their sex also plays a role in appreciating their neighborhood. Female have indicated to appreciate their neighborhoods strongly more than male. They also appreciate friendship more than male respondents. Part 2 Introduction A geographical view of a residential area reveals nothing about how the residents of these local communities and neighborhoods get on with one another. It is hard to tell whether these individuals visit each other, how often and where they interact, whether the neighbors like each other and whether they indeed care for other people who live in their street. In this document aspects of life that determine how neighbors live together is the document’s main area of concentration. The term neighborhood and street denote more than just a geographical space inhabited by individuals. Since nearly every individual has neighbors somewhere nearby, the daily practice of being a neighbor tend to be ignored by many people (Byford, 2009, p. 263). Discussion People who live together are involved in the process of modifying, repairing, breaching and constructing boundaries in efforts of enacting the identity of neighbor. It includes both the symbolic and physical boundaries in homes as well as streets. It also involves the private and public dimensions. The relationship that a person has with his or her neighbors is dependent upon various aspects. They may include their cultural background, their status on both economic and social grounds, the period they have resided in that neighborhood, the preferences and characteristics of the individual and the age of the person (Byford, 2009, p. 264) Erving Goffman a sociologist in the year 1959 did research of the behavior of individuals on a daily basis. He made the conclusion that in every condition an individual behaves himself, in a way; that will let people understand the internal characteristics of a person. Their behavior indicates what they expect from the society. It is thus important to understand people by interacting with them so as to establish neighborly relations of good nature (Byford, 2009, p. 265). A friendly distance is required for one to have successful interactions with people. An ongoing process of interaction is essential in the social life, as well as skills that a person uses to present him or herself in the interaction and give the intended impression to other people. According to the views of Goffman, the behavior and also the relationship that a person has with his neighbors becomes dramatically presented. It can be done to make personal life suitable. It normally happens when good relations are established with neighbors. Theories have been established to assist in establishing the reason as to why people behave in a different way from who they are inside. Some theories indicate that the person is shaped by the society. It happens during the growth of the person and also the education of the person. The social aspect of a person plays a major role in defining the person (Byford, 2009, p. 270) On the other hand, psychologists and social scientist make the argument that the society is prioritized first by a person. The interaction that a person has to the society has a great influence to the person. It is, therefore, crucial to note that the close distance that a person has to society has great influence to the behavior of a person. The study that has been conducted in a wide setting revealed that people have their expectations from those living around them in the society. For the expectations to be realized there is a need to maintain a friendly distance between the neighbors in the same society (Byford, 2009, p. 276) The distance between neighbors needs to be established in such a manner that friendliness is realized. There is also a need to observe respect to other people and also give them the privacy and reserve they require. A friendly distance ensures that neighbors assist each other in times of trouble and need. The distance established ensures that neighbors are givers and not intrusive in the business of other families. Distance is an aspect that needs to be observed to interrelate with others in a friendly manner. Safe distance is advised for the society to live in a cohesive manner. The research that has been conducted revealed that the principal characteristics of neighborly relations are friendly and helpful and on the other hand distance. Neighbors are required to be friendly and at the same time observe the privacy of other people (Byford, 2009, p. 287) A friendly distance which is an aspect that give rise to neighborly relations also manifests itself on people lives based on the nature of the environment these people are living or where one of them have been living. The areas where people live tend to influence their mode of living and consequently affect neighborly relations in one way or the other. Urbanization for instance impacts not only physical change to individual but influences some momentous changes in the modes in which people will carry out their lives. Social changes are evident in relation to the geographical areas where individuals live which tend to either expand or limit the friendly distance between neighbors. An expanded friendly distance will impart negative neighborly relations while a limited gap will impart positively neighborly relations (Byford, 2009, p. 287) Similarly, friendly distance is not only determined by kinds of things and people that meet but also the way they meet so as to make neighborhood condition different and interesting. The improvement of a place or condition it does not incorporate closing borders for outside influences that may lure neighborly relations, but it involves bridging the friendly distance. When the environment is conducive for all the individuals in people will not put limits to their neighbors and hence the distance between them will be friendly. Consequently, all the neighbors will be able to interact freely and hence the neighborly relations will be greatly improved (Byford, 2009, p. 323) Conclusion The members of the society and the neighborhood at large should ensure good and friendly relations. It should be the role of every individual to ensure good relations with the neighbors. Every person needs other people to live comfortably and thus good neighborhoods should be established. Challenges involved within the establishment of good relations among neighbors should be identified and avoided. People should also learn to act in accordance to the norms of the society and achieve what is expected of them by other members of the society. Works Cited Byford, J. (2009) “living together, living apart: the social life of the neighborhood” in Taylor, S,, Clarke, J. and Bromley, S. (eds) making social lives, Milton Keynes, The open university. Read More