Everyone wants community but no one wants to build it

Exploring what community means to me.

When it’s real, present and felt, community can be a source of social connection, belonging, shared purpose and meaning. More often – and increasingly, in the absence of other social safety nets – it’s invoked in the abstract as something we desire, or should be working toward.

Elle Hunt • I want community – but am I prepared to put the work in?

Interesting how the author points out that often, community is invoked in the abstract “in the absence of other social safety nets”

Community — Real Life

reallifemag.com

Wish I read this sooner!

Because people increasingly socialise online, there also has been an “actual erosion in social skills”. For younger people in particular, the loss of experience and opportunities throughout the pandemic has resulted in a lower appetite for social risk, he says: “They’re more comfortable texting than they are talking.”

Elle Hunt • I want community – but am I prepared to put the work in?

I mean, yes, I knew this, but having it elaborated with such brevity is exactly what I was looking for

The hard truth is that no one gets to be in community without effort.

Ann Friedman Weekly

yet some people get to do that - surprisingly

Within such virtual spaces, “community” is a shorthand for interaction — not necessarily belonging. From a business standpoint, community is a means to harness customer loyalty. From fitness companies like Peloton to beauty and fashion brands like Glossier and Victoria’s Secret PINK, brand communities have become essential marketing mechanisms, esp... See more

Vox • Brands want to be more than your friend. They want community.

on how brands leverage the concept of community for profit and brand development

commerce and social are coming together, although to much less a degree than marketing teams who talk up “brand communities” would like you to think. In all but a few cases, “community” here is just the marketing language used to describe a microbrand’s niche Instagram fandom. To me “community” implies users regularly engaging with each other , a c... See more

Subpixel Space • Come for the Network, Pay for the Tool

I hate to admit that I myself have used the word community to mean fanbase or followers more than once, even though I know deep down it means something very different

Design takes time and effort. Content creation takes time and effort. Everything that goes into a shiny digital footprint – website design, hosting, platform service subscriptions – costs money. Compare this to a random book club meet-up advertised through a single flyer made by hand and stapled to a few telephone poles. On the other side of all th... See more

Elise Granata • What We Lose When Optimizing Community

On how to spot pay-to-play communities

a community is defined not by common interests or physical space, but as “a group of people who share mutual concern for one another”. It’s the difference between someone you feel you could call on for help in the event of a 3am plumbing emergency, versus “someone you technically ate pizza with” once.

Elle Hunt • I want community – but am I prepared to put the work in?

absolutely

The promise of community begins to feel disingenuous when what’s described is little more than a euphemism for a targeted demographic of interested consumers. Is there any other reason to facilitate community if not for a business to sell more products and accrue more members? Is it possible to find real community beyond the parameters of one’s con... See more

Vox • Brands want to be more than your friend. They want community.

Is it possible to find real community beyond the parameters of one’s consumerist interests?