Peter L. Berger Quotes

Everybody is supposed to be a part of their own community.

What really matters from the point of view of social capital and civic engagement is not merely nominal membership, but active and involved membership.

Real, sustainable community change requires the initiative and engagement of community members.

We have always a roll to play in any community, and we have to do it - it's being part of a society.

In 'Palaces for the People,' Eric Klinenberg offers a new perspective on what people and places have to do with each other, by looking at the social side of our physical spaces.

Just as important as our society as a whole are our small communities: our neighborhoods, workplaces and schools.

It's really important to be active in your community, whatever community that is... find allies and find people who you relate to and who make you stronger as a group.

There is this absurd assumption that the revitalisation of the public sphere is always a good thing. I think people tend to confuse 'civic' and 'civil,' and they believe that everything that is done by citizens is necessarily a good thing because you build a network, an association.

It's very important that people who are feeling the need to do something... get activated.

I want society to feel they are part of a process of change.

Our policies should be to help develop civil society and increase contacts with people.

Participating in Society in not a thing one can do naturally; one has to rehearse for it.

Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects that interest me and there freedom of speech comes into it.

People don't talk to each other. You're alone with your television set or internet. But you can't have a functioning democracy without what sociologists call "secondary organizations," places where people can get together, plan, talk and develop ideas. You don't do it alone.

As citizens, we all have an obligation to intervene and become involved - it's the citizen who changes things.

We're all looking for an authentic way to be engaged in the community, engaged in politics, engaged in national discussion - and so, we're clunky. We're all clunky. But it's better than not doing it.

The difference that a drama group or a cinema club can make to a small village or a town. It opens people up to ideas, potential about themselves that really, in a way, education often fails to. It's a way of drawing a community together.

When strangers start acting like neighbors... communities are reinvigorated.

The cooperation of government at its different levels is important and can only be achieved as long as the people of Chicago are directly involved in our efforts and supportive of our goals.

Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.

Religiosity turns out to be the best indicator of civic involvement: it's more accurate than education, age, income, gender or race.

Integrating in the society is a fundamental scriptural Christian trait. This integration is a must - moderate constructive integration. All of us, as Egyptians, have to participate.

If people take the film and screen it whenever possible for their social and professional networks, we can continue to make a difference. It is one more element we have to use in the ongoing effort to take back our country.

You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.

There's nothing quite as powerful as people feeling they can have impact and make a difference. When you've got that going for you, I think it's a very powerful way to implement change.