Introduction
This report focused on George Williams, a 76-year-old man who was born and raised in Compton, California. George was the third-born son of Jerome Williams and Mary Adams. He had four siblings; three sisters and a brother. At age 5, his parents separated and several months later his mother started to live with another man. This incident had a huge impact on his life. Despite all this, George and his siblings were raised in the church. Their mother worked hard to ensure that they had enough to eat. She also ensured that they went to schools to have an education, an act that kept them away from drugs and violence. At 76, George says that a lot has changed in the city from culture to technological advancements. This paper critically analyzes these changes from his point of view.
Ethnography through Life history
George says that he has witnessed a lot of change in Compton from the time he was a child up to the present day. First, the number of people who are in the city has increased. According to him, the city is more congested than it used to be before. Also, the proportions of the populations have changed. In the early days, the majority of Comptons population was composed of Latinos. Latinos are still the largest population group in the city but people from the black community have increased in number (Scott 144). Many outsiders have the misconception that the majority of people in Compton are from the black community. This can be attributed to the fact that they are more successful than the other individuals in the community. A lot of famous athletes, actors and rappers from the black community come from Compton.
“The culture of the city has also changed through the years,” George says. When he was young, people had respect for each other. There was respect among individuals of the same age and more respect was given to older people. Children used to respect their parents and other people in the community. Currently, it seems like that respect is gone. The young people do not have any respect at all. They call their parents names, rarely help old people with their groceries and most of all they do not respect God.
George, his siblings, and other children in the neighborhood were raised in the church. They knew the word God and lived according to the rules of the bible of being righteous and having love and respect from each other. On the contrary, most children of the generations that followed did not pass through the church hence they do not understand the need for religion. That is why they live in crooked ways because they do not have guidance from the lord. This has resulted in teenage pregnancies, drug abuse, prostitution, poor marriages, rise in crime and a lack of love and respect for each other. The new generation has failed in being righteous. The rates of crime and drug abuse have increased with time. This is due to the low level of education in society, especially for the youths. They want to make money easily and fast, all of which will be spent on drugs. Such people never advance in life. Unfortunately, a lot of young people in the city are caught up in this situation.
However, George reported some advancement in the culture and lives of the city. There has been a lot of technological advancement, especially in the communication and media industry. During his days, it was hard to make a phone call, send a letter or even get entertainment from the radio or the television. Currently, people use cell phones to communicate. You can reach anyone at any time wherever that individual is. Sending letters has also improved. In addition, there is the introduction of electronic mails (e-mails) which once sent are delivered instantly. The number of radio and TV stations has increased and these stations have good reception. This has made it easier to know what is happening around the city, the country, and even the whole world.
These advancements in technology made him wish he was young again and date at this age. In his days dating was hard. His case was even harder because his high school sweetheart moved out of town immediately after completion of junior high. They had to maintain a long-distance relationship. Even though he married her and they are still together, things could have been much better if communication was easier. He wishes that he could have services for instant text messages, e-mails, social networks, and fast and convenient transportation. This could have made his dating life easier and more convenient.
Conclusion
George Williams has experienced a lot of change in his society. A lot of transformation has taken place in the city from when he was a young boy up to his present age. He has mixed feelings about these changes, viewing some of them as being good and others as being bad to society. Despite all this, George appreciates the change that has taken place.
Work Cited
Scott, Paula. California: A History on the Edge. San Francisco: Broadway, 2004.