Neighborhood House Parties And Their Decline

 Being that the 4th of July is on a Monday this yr we are starting what we call a long holiday weekend.. The beach or visiting relatives , fire works , cookouts. Kids are on summer vacation. Weather looks overall good.  Good times ahead. Now I don't want to make this out to be a remember the good old day's piece. God knows we hear that alot. But one thing  I wish to write about before  my tickets to the Mets game arrives is about a memory I have. House parties. In his book Bowling Alone Robert D. Putnam attempts to demonstrate how increasing fragmented our society is becoming. How we are becoming a less social society and participate less in civic affairs. I agree. A while back I came across an old Look magazine. One of the things I noticed was an advertisement for  a charcoal grill. The caption stated excitement for your next House Party. Now there is a term you don't hear that much anymore. House Party. I am as you might guess in my fifties. I've got a long memory perhaps to long. But as a kid & teenager I do remember many more simple get togethers in local neighborhoods. Generally called House Parties , especially in the summer months. Invite some relatives , some neighbors , perhaps work associates. Fire up the grill , get a cooler full of beer and soda for the kids throw on the ice. If you had a pool  the more fun. One could drive by the various newer housing developments in my hometown of  12033 in the early evening and see the garage door opened a few lawn chairs out lights on and people relaxing and talking.having maybe one to many beers or glasses of Sangria. What is my point here is our basic social beings were getting fed. Increasingly psych research shows us that for a greater feeling of social happiness we need these connections. I do believe we have less than we did. But for many the loner style so treasured in film and social lore is a myth. We need people , connection. Those House Parties provided connection , simple function that they were.Honestly many of the conversations at these events were not deep. Sometimes politics but more likely Moms talking about what department store like a Robert Hall had the best sales on school clothes for the fall or who had gotten engaged etc. OK , to much boozing back then.....to many cigarettes smoked......to much keeping up with The Jones , sure. That was America back then. Like today there was no lack  of social critics. But somewhere we sunk into a deeper quiet than is in my opinion  been healthy for us on a personal level or The Body Politic as we used to say.   But frankly BSing on a summer evening or even a mid -February gathering in a living room had real benefit. Nothing terribly formal mind you but you stayed within a construct of a community. Felt a part of something bigger than you. Now off my Soap box. Enjoy the weekend.