Spring Break
The importance of social capital
Anne Marie Merline
Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: Opinion
More importantly than the physical phones, we traded something much more important -- the names of our friends and relatives programmed onto our cell phones.
These names, I noted are the representatives of our social capital. These are the numbers of the people and organizations that are most important to us. These numbers represent the people that we call to live our lives, talk about our days, and connect with those outside of the radio signals of the cell phone.
I scrolled through my cell phone for a moment to give the students an idea of the people and organizations whose numbers I have stored over the year. Those on "speed dial" represent those most important in our social lives. On mine are my younger brother, my boyfriend, my roommate, my son's father and my female friends who are my pillars of support on an everyday basis.
For first semester students, many of you will find that your social circles will change dramatically over these first few months of college (as will the content of your cell phone).
You will use this seemingly magic device to keep in touch with those far away, as well as connecting with a residence hall mate so that you can meet up in the dining hall for dinner. As always, mom and dad will want you to pick up when they call you to find out what you are up to while there are no parental units overseeing your comings and goings.
My question to you this week is: What do you value more, the cell phone that you have or the social support on the other end of those pre-programmed numbers?
What is true for me, I am sure is true for most -- that even though I will someday trade up my cell phone for another that works better, I would never trade the social capital on my cell phone for any piece of economic capital on earth.
Anne Marie Merline is an instructor for the University Honors Program. Her column appears biweekly Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
These names, I noted are the representatives of our social capital. These are the numbers of the people and organizations that are most important to us. These numbers represent the people that we call to live our lives, talk about our days, and connect with those outside of the radio signals of the cell phone.
I scrolled through my cell phone for a moment to give the students an idea of the people and organizations whose numbers I have stored over the year. Those on "speed dial" represent those most important in our social lives. On mine are my younger brother, my boyfriend, my roommate, my son's father and my female friends who are my pillars of support on an everyday basis.
For first semester students, many of you will find that your social circles will change dramatically over these first few months of college (as will the content of your cell phone).
You will use this seemingly magic device to keep in touch with those far away, as well as connecting with a residence hall mate so that you can meet up in the dining hall for dinner. As always, mom and dad will want you to pick up when they call you to find out what you are up to while there are no parental units overseeing your comings and goings.
My question to you this week is: What do you value more, the cell phone that you have or the social support on the other end of those pre-programmed numbers?
What is true for me, I am sure is true for most -- that even though I will someday trade up my cell phone for another that works better, I would never trade the social capital on my cell phone for any piece of economic capital on earth.
Anne Marie Merline is an instructor for the University Honors Program. Her column appears biweekly Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
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