Essay On Civic Engagement
Often in a society focused on Individualism, one forgets the importance or need to serve not only oneself but others. “Civic Engagement in Catholic and Marianist Universities: A Continuing Conversation” as well as Soul of a Citizen serve to illustrates the importance of people to not only study but also undertake service or civic engagement.
Soul of a Citizen illustrates the difficulty for involvement in service and civic engagement; however, it also demonstrates the importance for it as well. People are often too involved in their own life with family and friends to have any time for others. Therefore, many find it difficult to take on another demanding cause in their life. Paul Rogat Loeb, author of the Soul of a Citizen, states that although …show more content…
The document defines civic engagement as follows “active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the public good.” Given the definition, there are several ways, collectively and individually, to recognize and confront problems in society to accomplish public good. Furthermore, the efforts can focus on small accomplishment such as homelessness in the community to large accomplishments such as sustainability in the earth. Additionally, the document illustrates two ways to go about civic engagement, service action and social change. The document defines service action as addressing immediate civic issues within the community which include feeding the hungry or even sheltering the homeless. On the other side of the spectrum, social change aims to implement “systematic change of the community structures to provide long term solutions.” The characteristics of service actions includes: focus on needs of individuals and families, analyzing individual situations, meet immediate need, address painful symptoms, and depends of donors. While on the other hand, social change is composed of: focus on the rights of individuals and families, analyzing social structures, long term change, underlying social causes, and depends on just laws and fair social
Soul of a Citizen illustrates the difficulty for involvement in service and civic engagement; however, it also demonstrates the importance for it as well. People are often too involved in their own life with family and friends to have any time for others. Therefore, many find it difficult to take on another demanding cause in their life. Paul Rogat Loeb, author of the Soul of a Citizen, states that although …show more content…
The document defines civic engagement as follows “active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the public good.” Given the definition, there are several ways, collectively and individually, to recognize and confront problems in society to accomplish public good. Furthermore, the efforts can focus on small accomplishment such as homelessness in the community to large accomplishments such as sustainability in the earth. Additionally, the document illustrates two ways to go about civic engagement, service action and social change. The document defines service action as addressing immediate civic issues within the community which include feeding the hungry or even sheltering the homeless. On the other side of the spectrum, social change aims to implement “systematic change of the community structures to provide long term solutions.” The characteristics of service actions includes: focus on needs of individuals and families, analyzing individual situations, meet immediate need, address painful symptoms, and depends of donors. While on the other hand, social change is composed of: focus on the rights of individuals and families, analyzing social structures, long term change, underlying social causes, and depends on just laws and fair social