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Friday, April 27, 2012

Being In Community...


“Human beings are hardwired with the impulse to share ideas and the desire to know we’ve been heard. It’s all a part of our need for community. “ Jake Bohm
Theologian, Martin Marty, of the University of Chicago, observes that as crucial as the family is to preserving civilization, it is the tribe rather than the nuclear family that ensures cultural survival. It is not surprising that the word “tribe” has been associated with online groups of common interest as Web 2.0 became the tribal web for personalized learning.
Is it plausible, that we as a society, moving from rural to urban, delving in deeper to intense, meaningful solitary work, and changing the makeup of our nuclear family, needed to create alternate communities in order to fulfill some basic human needs?
In Dr. Martin Brokenleg’s book, ReclaimingYouth at Risk, he proposes that as people search to make meaning out of their existence, we need to mend some of the broken circles that have been created and suggests that the first step, is ensuring that a person feels that she or he belongs. In this rural area where I live, I have several opportunities to belong. My school community fills a different need for me than my social group, exercise class and church community and yet I feel the need to reach out to even more communities. I tweet, Facebook, pin and blog and have tried other modes of SM but only these fit for me, and they suit me in different ways for different purposes. Writing allows me the opportunity to express myself and these venues mean that I can share those expressions in a variety of ways.
Sometimes I wonder if the world of Social Media came about purposefully and as I put this out to this community, with the intent to share and dialogue, would relish hearing what you think?  
~ Ellyn

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