Community

I post this quote from Peter Block's book "Community" every year. It doesn't get much attention because it's not built for social media: it's thick.

But there really isn't a better explanation of the "why" behind the work I do, and its encouragement for communities to move away from blame, apathy, and entitlement and towards possibility,

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The club model teaches us something: organizations that endure don’t try to include everyone. They’re clear about their identity, even as that identity evolves. Some clubs that were men-only for centuries now welcome women. They haven’t survived by being vague, they’ve survived by being clear, then changing what that clarity meant over time.

A strong community turns casual users into devoted advocates. Create spaces where users can connect, share experiences, and help each other. This could be through online forums, local meetups, or virtual events.

Encourage user-generated content, celebrate community achievements, and facilitate peer-to-peer learning. The most successful communities

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The size of the effect is astounding. Cross-class friendships are a better predictor of upward mobility than school quality, job availability, community cohesion or family structure. If these results are true, then we have largely ignored a powerful way to help people realise the American dream.