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Technology
Defining Community for the Digital Era
The word “community” is a big, broad word that means different things to different people. Its definition depends on the context and conditions upon which the term is used. Regardless, the word evokes positive emotions from people. I like to think we use the word when we feel a sense of belonging. Place brings this sentiment to us. Some humans are very attached to community of place. Our neighborhoods, homes, parks, schools, and civic centers locate our memories. We collect and gather sentimental objects in our homes to remember past moments of importance. Our homes and our neighborhoods belong to us, and us to them. Our geographic locations shape our worldviews and our opportunities, and thus, the direction of our lives.
Others among us are not overly attached to place. Instead, we are wired to collect relationships and experiences. These people are full of a sense of wanderlust, although sometimes all humans will find specific places along life’s journey that feel like home. We find our community among those we care about, not in our specific address. When we choose to live in various communities throughout our lives, we collect a significant network of broad and diverse, but disbursed relationships. We reconnect with these far-away individuals through digital platforms. Still, all of us discuss community as place or as relationship…
