The Quest for Community

On April 16, ISI held its annual conference in Indianapolis. Last year, I attended this conference as a graduate student - this year, I was attending as a 10-month member of the ISI staff. And, they had me working. Not to mention, networking with students and faculty members from around the country. Though, most were from the midwest region.

This year's conference theme was based around the classic book by Robert Nisbet, The Quest for Community. I have only read about 1/3 of this book, but the basic argument Nisbet delivered in 1953 (though still prevalent today) is that there has always been, throughout human history, a "quest for community." No matter what is happening, people still desire to form communities of some sort or another.

But, he argues that the rise of the state coincided with the rise of individualism, and both have destroyed the fabrics of communities. The state has assumed the control of many important aspects of community that were traditionally left to churches, neighborhoods, families, and other non-governmental institutions. And, at the same time, individualism not only rallied against the state, but also against these important institutions of community life. Thus, Americans have become more alienated and have felt less a part of community than ever before.

Many different speakers filled the day at the Columbia Club in downtown Indianapolis, and we held special events, dinners and receptions as well. The most striking part of the day to me was to hear the stories and meet the winners of ISI's first ever Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose. I can't say much more about these young people that are doing amazing things, from building schools in Kampala (Africa), to spreading liberal education in Iraq, and working with women and children on a Navajo Reservation in New Mexico with the late Mother Teresa. I feel fortunate just to have met these people and hear their stories. It was inspiring and encourage you all to read their stories and to follow in their footsteps.

At the same dinner where the Simon Fellowship winners were announced and awarded, NY Times Columnist David Brooks gave a talk, structured on his latest book, "Paradise Drive: How We Live Now and Always." But, he gave his speech immediately after the Simon Fellowship winners gave their acceptance speeches and he admitted that the evening would only decline morally from this point on. But, he gave ISI a major compliment by saying that some organizations only talk about ideas, but ISI is on the cutting edge, because not only do we talk about ideas, but we put ideas into action.

I would say that's true, but ISI is not just an "organization" that does this, but is filled with incredible people - from the staff that puts together the programs, to the thousands of students and professors that not only participate in those programs, but become a vital part of them. In that sense, I can say that ISI succeeds because it has, in fact, formed a community - and a community of unbelievable people that are blessed with so much talent.