From “On the Promiscuous Use of ‘Community’ ” by Jason Peters at Front Porch Republic:
“I’m here to tell you that The Front Porch Republic is not a community—and for the same reasons that no ‘gathering’ of individuals at any ‘place’ on the internet is a community. Community requires bodies in an actual place—a place where whole human beings can live and move and have their being. That is, a community requires a place where we can walk, eat, kiss, defecate, [and] give one another the finger. That list has nothing arbitrary about it. It spans theIhc@ gamut: we move, we consume, we copulate, we produce waste, we fail more often than not to get along, and we die. And each item on the list is necessary to the health of real communities.”
Questions for Consideration: How has the internet transformed the nature of communities? What conditions—common values, interests, religion, language, etc—are necessary for a community to exist? Does community require a certain physical location, or can online communities adequately provide that common space? What are the benefits and drawbacks of narrowing or expanding the definition of community?
Want to learn more?
- Did Somebody Say “Community?”
- The First Rule of Community
- Can a Virtual Community be any different from the experience of a Real Community?
What Defines a Community?
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If you need a sign interpreter or require other arrangements to fully participate, please call 312.422.5580. For parking locations near the facility, please visit ChicagoParkingMap.com.