“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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