Charles Horton Cooley in his article expresses the essential significance of primary groups in the society, which they eventually create. Primary groups also create ideals of the individual. Consequently, there is a great link between an individual and whole society, because society consists of all individuals, who share the mutual feeling of togetherness. No wonder people naturally refer to each other as “we”. However, the above-mentioned feeling is not completely harmonized. Instead, it is distinguished as it accepts self-assertion. The author further exemplify the issue by saying that although a boy will obviously compete with his peers in a sport team, he will still cross fingers for the team that he might not get the desired position in.
The general elements of primary groups are seen in the most influential “association” - family. Furthermore, nobody can question the predominance of neighborhoods and communities of children/elders. Most importantly, the view of these groups’ importance has not changed anywhere or anytime as it is something globally and traditionally acknowledged.
Considering groups of children, it is obvious that these children, particularly boys older than 12, develop and manifest more automatic relationship, based on sympathy, ambition and honor with their current peers than with family. English and American boys demonstrate these features. Moreover, European boys of the more restrictive civilization form autonomous groups of vital relevancy. Miss Jane Addams ceaselessly define groups of children as simply said “gang”, where children “learn to act upon their own determination”.
Since men started to sustainably settle down, neighborhoods formed and started to play a fundamental role in forming a social “heart-to-heart life” among these neighbors. The author states that the village community was the main scope of daily interaction until almost the beginning of industrialization. Nowadays, there are not many countries, except for rural districts mainly in Russia, that find neighborhoods so relevant. I think that modern people have been victims of invisible murder of neighborhood’s spirit of belonging. We tend to prefer wider contacts to closer ones. Unfortunately, people living under the same roof might, therefore, find themselves strangers. The author questions if this modification of neighborhoods is healthy or unhealthy.
Moreover, there are other different primary groups that differ from culture to culture. For society where author lives, it is not hard to build a fraternity with people we happen to be surrounded by. Despite the fact that people do not choose who their colleague or schoolmate will be, easily colleagues and schoolmate can develop a close friendship.
Needed experience is given to individuals by primary groups. Afterwards, Charles H. Cooley mentions differentiated spirits, for instance, German militarism, in countries, such as Germany or Russia. Lifestyle that already existed is widespread among those countries.
The family and neighborhoods were hurt by contemporary economic and social problems. Nevertheless, nothing can diminish the vitality of these primary groups which are undoubtedly the most important part of individual’s life. They are only a little bit influenced by customs. They demonstrate a universal character. The last meaningful sentence in this article says that the religion or for of government of other countries might seem strange for us, but members of families live a common life, living which is not strange to us at all.