Social capital - up close and personal

As my wife has noted, arguably the most profound outcome has been how well-to-dos have learnt how to accept help on offer from all comers, another side to the more familiar modern lament of busy individual’s lack of commitment to building a sense of community.

But the upshot is that, at least in our part of the world, there’s a greater sense of trust, a crucial component in sustaining any form of social capital.

You’ve got to hope it can count for something in the long run and already it’s being tested as each affected area starts to see dividing lines emerging, whether it be between the uninsured and the insured (the “happy” people, as a fellow uninsured mate calls them), those forced to find other accommodation versus those able to live in their damaged houses and even throughout Queensland about who ought to be entitled to the Premier’s Appeal funds.

Resilience has been a term bandied about more than most in this recovery and however one might define it for both individuals and communities, it’s vital that the social capital that’s been galvanized in the response be nourished for all to draw upon. God knows, it’s saved our sanity.