Online Communities

my first paper in my Mass Communications class is on Online Communities... the question teh prof asked was

"Are online communities genuine communities?"

it has to be two pages... I think they are, what do you say?

Of course they are.

The internet is the only place where I get to discuss FS as much as I want to. Most of my family members listen politely and then move on to the next subject as quick as possible. The evil sister just makes obnoxious statements to get on my nerves.

In fact, before I went to the 2002 Nationals I had seen message boards but never really paid much attention. I met several ladies who quickly got me addicted. I still see 2 of them regularly at Nationals. We'll be sharing a room this year for Portland.

What makes these boards more important to me is that I attend skating events by myself. I'm the only one I know with enough interest and money to actually attend events. I always end up meeting someone that has posted online and it keeps my vacation from getting too lonely. I also tend to be shy around people I don't know very well so running into someone I "know" from their online postings makes it much easier to start a conversation. Online communities are very real with shared interests and support.

OK Toni, how do you define a community? Ants and bees have highly ordered and structured societies, does the addition of some chaos make us a community? It's clearly not just size, since immediately after 9-11, New York City was one community. (I'm much better at asking the questions than providing answers )

hey my prof asked the question... I'm just now asking you... I guess in order to trully answer my question we also have to answer yours

Tonichelle said:

my first paper in my Mass Communications class is on Online Communities... the question teh prof asked was

"Are online communities genuine communities?"

it has to be two pages... I think they are, what do you say?

Click to expand...

Here is what the dictionary says:

com·mu·ni·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k-myn-t)
n. pl. com·mu·ni·ties

A group of people living in the same locality and under the same government.
The district or locality in which such a group lives.

A group of people having common interests: the scientific community; the international business community.
A group viewed as forming a distinct segment of society: the gay community; the community of color.

Similarity or identity: a community of interests.
Sharing, participation, and fellowship.
Society as a whole; the public.
Ecology.
A group of plants and animals living and interacting with one another in a specific region under relatively similar environmental conditions.
The region occupied by a group of interacting organisms.


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[Middle English communite, citizenry, from Old French, from Latin commnits, fellowship, from commnis, common. See common.]

I suppose one could say "online communites" are a community of people sharing thoughts via the internet.

Just my thoughts....