The Community Delusion

Brands want to be worshipped, not questioned. They want to say "we" without ever answering for it. But real communities don't exist to serve your KPIs. They're made of people with needs, norms, and networks of their own. And when you reduce that to a growth lever, you don't just cheapen the word—you break the trust required to make it meaningful.

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That’s the problem. “Community” has become a shield used to justify vague strategies, sentimental copy, and low-lift engagement efforts. It’s become a way to gesture at intimacy without delivering on it and to claim moral high ground without accountability. In too many cases, community is less of a reality and more of a branding affect, something y... See more