200 words or less – discussion part #1 – “Online Communities”
For my Network Society class I am to have a 5 part series/discussion on something cool (i.e. my choice) as long as it’s academically relevant to my class. I’m also supposed to make it more formal than a ‘normal’ blog post (who defines normal?) and I would GUESS that means I should use BIG words. I sure hope that words in capital letters count as BIG!!! (hee hee) Thankfully for YOU each of the parts only has to be about 200 words. That’s like NOTHING! Sooooo…. (does it count as big if it has eeeexxxxtttrrrraaa letters?) here is my first part – 200 words on online communities. I hope with my WHOLE HEART you choose to participate (comment.) :)
Online Communities
Never in my life did I realize how much my identity was tied to my culture and community until I moved out of my community. Living in the heart of one of the chirpiest cities in the United States, full of people who don’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or watch dirty movies, and who wave and smile at everyone who drives into the neighborhood, I was in for a bit of culture shock when I moved to the busy city life of Sydney, Australia.
Who are my neighbors? Heaven knows I have no clue! Who was the dude yelling at his alleged crazy girlfriend down the street? Heaven knows I’m OK that I don’t know! And umm, excuse me, WHY did you think it was OK to pat my behind while I was walking down the street you crazy stranger? No, actually – don’t answer that – in fact let’s both forget you exist. (snap!)
Community and culture play a huge role in the way we see and define the world and our surroundings. It helps us assess meaning and value. It contributes to our filters and our level of comfort. And HOW we define our relationship with our community and culture (whether we accept or reject it) contributes to our personal identity.
In a new world full of online communities, how do these digital cultures affect our daily lives? How much of our identity is wrapped up in digital cultures and online communities?
NEXT POST – I’ll bring in what a few of the “experts” have to say about it – but until then – I’d LOVE to hear what you have to say. :) :) :)
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I know in my life online communities have taken over. I get home from work and it’s on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger and a couple of forums.
I have very few interactions with people these days (outside of work) that aren’t via some form of electronic communication at least.
I think it makes life easier (because what do people really have to say that they couldn’t tell you in 140 characters or less?)
chirpiest? Is that the same as quirkiest, eccentric or idiosyncratic? My take on the on-line community is danger and loss of stereotypical bias. Here is what I mean. You don’t know who you are communicating with when you are on line. Is he a creep or is he a she? The on-line community is ripe with predators. But…
There is a good possibility that because you don’t know who you are communicating with (therefore you are not engaging your stereotypical bias), that you will be more open to another’s ideas. So the question is, is this good or bad?