The Selfish Separations of Society

Jonathan Khouri
Many people of today live in a world of worry. So many people are aggressive and suspicious, living a life of meticulous management of materials. Trust in a stranger is naïve and troubling, and people are always worried about taking care of themselves and their possessions. Do “good fences make good neighbors?” or is the thought of a cold and antisocial society ever more apparent with the notice of everyday life. It is certainly apparent within the reading and analyzing of today’s poems, all of which are boundary-related, echoing the growing tendency for people of the world to be their own “border police”.
Frost aptly describes this idea of borders through a story of neighbors, a story of “community”. Neighbors should develop relationships to help and protect each other; however, in today’s society, they only care about staying out of each other’s ways. The apple orchard and the pine trees appear as East and West Germany (though the severity of the latter of this analogy is incredible) in this selfish separation in society. Everyone is thinking about themselves and their materials.
“The little humpbacked girl…into a symbol of a family’s shame.” An opening line to Cofer’s poem that is harsh, cruel, and real. People do not want to be bothered with disability; this impedes the quest everyone has to live a perfect, materialistic life. People seen as different are often seen as wrong or in need of isolation. These fears, stereotypes, and hedonistic ideals are the actual symbols of shame.
Komunyakaa presses on with the ideals of what people in today’s society strive for in life, but with a more positive spin to it. In Slam, Dunk, & Hook, “we were metaphysical when girls cheered on the sidelines”, is just one example of the fast-paced, aggressive life that people strive for. People want to be loved by others, and it is the excitement and competition of the game that merits the praise the players receive.
Jane Jacobs realizes the problem. “This is serious, because literal and continuous mingling of people, present because of different purposes, is the only device that keeps streets safe.” Confrontation and companionship are a necessity of life, and the dwindling existence of ideals like these is a cause for concern. Some people of the world still value camaraderie, but how long will it last? I hope we can mend this wall or problems before the death of more relationships and communities. This is not a game.