Band 6+: In many cities an increasing number of people do not know their neighbors and there is a lack of a sense of community. What are the causes of this problem? How can it be solved?

In the past, many people used to be very close to those living in their geographical vicinity, nowadays, however, such relationship has become quite rare particularly in bigger urban settlements. This essay will look into two prevalent drives of this phenomenon and also offer a suggestion which may help bring neighbors closer to each other.

First and foremost, financial concerns play a crucial role in shaping individuals’ behavior and social norms. One good example of such an influence is apparent in how much people get the chance to have meaningful interaction with their neighbors. In today’s world due to rising costs of living in many cases city dwellers need to work far longer hours to cope with economic strains and this leaves them with little time to seek communication with others and thus developing their circle of friends and making acquaintance with those living in their neighborhood or even the same apartment buildings.

Secondly, the ubiquity of the internet and the advent of social media has drastically altered the way individuals spend time spare time. A few decades back, Friday barbecues where neighbors would get together and enjoy each other companionship or organizing meeting to discuss issues and plans to address them with neighbors were quite common. Today, on the other hand, most people choose to spend their free time browsing the net and on various social networks in the privacy of their homes or if the need for having a gathering or meeting with neighbors arises, they tend to be held online where, due to the restrictions of the

virtual world, the odds of forming meaningful connections are quite slim.

In order to rectify this situation, the city can make a big contribution by trying to develop some community programs which encourage neighbors to meet in person and spend quality time together more often in order to make their environment a more place to live. For instance, the police can invite the members of a community to volunteer for neighborhood watch some nights and protect their community from burglary and car theft.