Micro Societies
Posted: Tuesday, September 02, 2008
by Star Lyn
The definition of a Micro Society is a group of individuals within society bound together by a common thread, condition, location or goal.
The Micro Society has all the same characteristics as the large Metropolitan Society, such as leaders, followers, life, death, winners, losers, abuse, compassion, laughter, tears, ups, downs, new, used, young and old. There is a bond… an invisible netting which corrals, embraces, sooths and supports its' members, whether knowingly or unwittingly, it binds them just the same. The difference for a Micro Society is that there are no membership drives, no association fees, no business cards and no acknowledgement of its existence by its' members, because they don't even know they are members.
For example… In 1978, between Christmas and the first part of 1979, I was camped out in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Saint Joseph 's Hospital in Phoenix AZ. My little brother (David) had been struck by a car on Christmas day and due to extreme head trauma, was in a coma. My Grandmother, Mom and I talked to David around the clock, taking turns. I had read somewhere that even though a person is in a coma they were able to receive information from their surroundings and that the information received would and could be beneficial in their recovery.
When I wasn't in the room with my brother, I spent most of my time experiencing life with the other families in the waiting room. It was the time when young children were getting very sick, going into comas and very often dying at an alarming rate. The doctors and the CDC were not sure what was causing this nationwide outbreak. The fear that each family experienced was overwhelming and I can tell you that being in the middle of it was unsettling and frightening. (It was later determined that children taking aspirin for the flu or chickenpox had caused what is now known as Reyes Syndrome.)
While we were in the "the room", I noticed an amazing event which continued to repeat itself. We were all strangers in this room, different colors, creeds and ethnic backgrounds. We came from different parts of the world, had different financial status and were a variety of ages. Yet, when a doctor would come in with good news, we would all cheer, clap and be honestly happy for the recipient. When the news was devastating, we hugged, cried, prayed and supported the family member. There were no boundaries, no hesitation, and no judgments…Truly a humanitarian experience.
When a member of "the room" (yes…also known as the Micro Society) would have cause to leave, whatever the reason, all other members would send them off with good wishes and honestly mean them. But within a short period of time, the events of why we were there would take precedence and the leaving member would take a backseat to our own situation and soon fade all together.
As new arrivals filled the beds of the Intensive Care Unit, more families were brought into our society… albeit a short termed society, a society all the same. One of the "members" would welcome the newcomer and introduce the rest of the society. And the daily events would dictate the involvement of the members. And the members would be replaced and the cycle would continue. (I should note here that David did survive his traumatic ordeal, although scathed and damaged, he recovered as well as could be hoped. He is even planning on getting married in the very near future.)
You see, that society exists even these many years later… oh sure, different faces, reasons and lives, but the existence of the society is still in tact. These Micro Societies exist simultaneously throughout the world, on every continent, in every city, in every town and every neighborhood. A person can actually be in multiple societies at the same time – although to do so would be very draining and would defuse the benefit of each society. However, it is virtually impossible to be in a Micro Society and not belong to some form of another society.
The General Population is rarely aware that Micro Societies exist, other than those in which they are current members. The reason is that being consciously aware of another Micro places the member's consciousness in that society without being responsible to that society. The Micro Society only exists due to the physical participation of its members. The mere acknowledgement of the society does not make the society exist.
Another characteristic of the Micro is that there is rotation of its members. No member is permanent and even when one member is removed by choice or circumstance; another soon arrives to fill the gap. There seems to be a unique flow of members in any Micro Society, creating new life and energy to the group – ever changing – ever evolving – while maintaining the steadfast theme of the society.
The neighborhood bar is a great example of the Micro. There are men, women, parents, grandparents, all colors, and all varieties of human beings. There are people who have been going there for years. There are the after work participants, the all-dayers, the weekenders, and the occasional drop-ins. The entirety of these people make up the Society called "the bar". People move on, die, dry out, get married, have children and grandchildren, and the society is still there. It is the events within the society that contribute to the existence of the society. No matter who leaves, the bar will continue to exist because new members will join.
Most people will be a member of numerous societies during the course of their lives. Micro Societies have evolved because of the necessity to survive the chaos of modern life. The deterioration of the nuclear family, morals, integrity and responsibility along with the sacrifices, sadness, loneliness and separateness of the modern world is responsible for the continuance of the Micro Society.
The street gangs of today represent the need of children to belong, to be a part of something; to find an answer to a longing that is not being fulfilled at home. Don't we all have that same longing? What Micro Society have you found to satisfy your needs?
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)This is a good an observable article, it's really great.
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