Consciousness in change: How we are there for each other today

Consciousness in change: How we are there for each other today

Again and again you hear the nostalgic complaint that the cohesion in the former GDR was stronger. The stories are often crossed by a feeling of the community in which one helped each other, shared together and shared the adverse circumstances of life. Especially older generations that were socialized during this time describe a reality in which envy was a foreign word, because at that time everyone lived in similar conditions.

However, it is time to question this view. Critics could argue that today's youth and society have become more selfish. But in my circle of friends I experience something completely different every day. Here we help each other, be it with moves or simply in everyday communication. The question is how the parents, grandparents and siblings are doing. The contact with each other remains alive.

The need for community and support

We live at a time when it is no longer necessary to have collective ideals such as those of the Free German Youth or a Socialist unit party to support our neighbors and friends. There is no need for a major political meeting to experience our need for help and support. Even if the social framework has changed, the nature of humanity remains.

The turn in the 1990s brought many changes. Many places where people met and spent time together are closed today or in a state of decay. Villages that were once living communities have lost vitality, which of course can lead to a feeling of loneliness. This phenomenon is easy to understand and has its own challenges.

Nevertheless, I would like to emphasize that my generation is not characterized by individuality or self-love. We are as socially shaped as our ancestors. Freedom that is possible for us today does not mean that we are less interested in our fellow human beings. If someone decides to take a new path after school, this is not only a personal decision, but also an expression of freedom and self -determined life.