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As somewhat of a continuation or expansion of another thread, I would enjoy hearing what people think about the shrinking small town America. It is becoming difficult to find small towns that are not inundated with the presence of Walmart, or strip malls, or that have an old decaying town square with sprawling outskirts of chain store domination.
No longer are the days of the dairy dip at the edge of town that had the two sliding windows to take orders, the five clueless high school students manning the ship, and the smell of fat greasy fries, and where everyone went for a ice cream cone on Sat. night. Drive-in’s have been replaced by the cinemaplex 12 with digital Dolby surround turned up loud enough to tick off whales in an ocean half the world away. The seldom heard sound of that little bell ringing when you entered a store, and the clerk greeted you by first name, since he was your neighbor. No longer are the days of Maple street, Walnut, Chestnut, or Main, only the by-pass, the express, or the interstate.
Now I think most folks can identify with at least one of these things, as they are what we see, or used to see in small town America. There is also a disappearing culture that went with this that wasn’t so easy to see. Those people who enjoyed living in a community that also seemed to have more respect and tolerance for individuals. One of the reasons towns like these had porches on the front of the house and the garage in the back, instead of the other way around.
Now small towns had their issues and problems no doubt, and not everyone will have the same views of this as I. Is it inevitable that this part of Americana is disappearing? Is this just an aspect of America’s past that has been folded into our history and not simply referred to as, “back when”?
Does it surprise anyone that those few places like this that are left, are so vigilantly guarded by its population, and so resistant to change?
Great. I guess you are willing to give up your cell phone, air bags in cars, personal computers, etc. and all the benefits of high-tech design and development. These things require CAPITAL and MINDPOWER to develop. Where does "small-town Amerca" fit into that kind of economy?
Maybe where you live, but in NC you can still find those small towns. I have been to many small towns like you are describing exploring this place.
And the cell phone worked too.......
It's a function of a lot of things, and would be too voluminous to diagnose. But I think it's a combination of a) increasing population, b) improved vehicular transportation (gas mileage, roads, freeways, etc.), c) the ability to work remotely, and d) people's increasing dependence on certain amenities and Big Box retailers and businesses.
And capitalism, unfortunately. If there's a market for a good or service, you'll find someone or some corporation wanting to exploit that market.
It's goddamn sad and pathetic. Perhaps moreso than anything else I can think of right now.
Until recent years (late 1990s) I never lived in a small town, and didn't appreciate its worth. I did vacation in a small town in CT for many years, and that had a small town atmosphere: neighbourhood grocer, hardware, etc. Several years ago I had a long talk with the hardware shop owner when I wanted some paint remover and he didn't have it. Yup, some large box store had eaten up his business, and it was no longer profitable for him to carry certain items and brands (he had to buy in bulk).
Now, I do live in the most rural and small town I have ever lived in. We have no shops, at all, and rely heavily on neighbourhood towns, villages, etc. for our shopping, ice cream parlour, and home-town talks and gossip.
In fact, I just got off the phone with the area Community Center where once a month we can recycle. I was checking in for the next pick-up.
And on Sunday when I went to the local, and nearest farmer's market (just over three hills, turn right, then left, then park) one of the farm vendors remembered me and we talked for awhile (in Dutch).
I love some of the positive aspects of small towns, boycott box stores, talk to my neighbours, share our knowledge, and learn from the sense of community, but is it shrinking in the good ole USA, yup, certainly, tragically, and without many looking back and hankering after that feed shop that carried your favourite cookies.
And, because I hate, hate, hate what is happening, I go out of my way, to buy small and local when possible. But it isn't always possible. So just today I called my former local coffee distributor (read family owned and people I grew up with in NYC) and ordered 5 lbs of coffee (on sale) and a neighbour went in on the order with me, thereby saving some postage.
However, most folks want it now; want it cheaper; what it close-by, and just plain want it, whatever it is, and if it is new, bright, colourful...you get the picture.
I am going back to the roots of my grand-father, a farmer right here in this region, and come Spring, what with a CSA and some planting, I can do just fine with my small 4-corner town, 14 neighbours and the wild turkeys.
Yes, I had to give up my cell phone in the area, but 20 miles down the road, it works.
I don't have air bags, my car is too old.
I have a personal computer and a local carrier that makes it possible to use the internet, and on high-speed.
And I love tek, but not at the expensive of small town comfort, and those ripe tomatoes in the garden and not those imported from elsewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkTwain
Great. I guess you are willing to give up your cell phone, air bags in cars, personal computers, etc. and all the benefits of high-tech design and development. These things require CAPITAL and MINDPOWER to develop. Where does "small-town Amerca" fit into that kind of economy?
For five years of my childhood, I lived in such a town. It's funny because on of my favorite memories was going to the shoe repair shop my friend's grandfather owned and walking down the street a bit to the mom and pop ice cream store; you sort of echoed that atmosphere in your post, so it caught my attention!
My thoughts on the shrinking small town: I've come to the conclusion that nothing replaces personal accountability in a person's life. In a small town, you don't get away with anything. The teachers know you and know of you even before you enter their class. They're friends with your parents, so you don't get away with things like you do in the city. I don't know why it's popular to think that people from a small town don't have a strong identity. I think that even more so, they're rooted in who they are and find a sense of identity in knowing and being known.
Next, you mentioned the dying small business. With this, I believe with really do lose some of America's culture. I love that we still have the freedom to start a small business if we so choose, but the odds are ever increasingly against us.
Finally, I think it's easier to sway the masses. I would think it more difficult to influence smaller cities across the US than it is to sway metropolitan areas. Our vulnerability is scary.
Yes, I had to give up my cell phone in the area, but 20 miles down the road, it works.
I don't have air bags, my car is too old.
I have a personal computer and a local carrier that makes it possible to use the internet, and on high-speed.
And I love tek, but not at the expensive of small town comfort, and those ripe tomatoes in the garden and not those imported from elsewhere.
Ontheroad, I live in a metro area, and I actually turned off my cell services because I was tired of it ringing everywhere I went! It's nice to escape to a coffee shop and a book without everyone I know having access to me!
The truly funny thing is that many aspects of the small town life- local businesses, farmers markets, weekend festivals, etc- are easier to find in some big cities than in midsize to small towns these days. In my neighborhood in Chicago, there are very few chain stores. Most of the businesses are locally owned. My neighborhood, like many, is not as local as it used to be. Still, when I compare it to my hometown- a town of around 40,000 in SC- I see that people are more reluctant to rush to chain stores and restaurants and more eager to embrace local businesses and a sense of community.
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