Historically, it seems reasonable that others would know what's happening in the lives of people in their community because community was bound by time and space. There were distinct demarcations for a community. On some occasions these boundaries were overcome by those outside of the community, but because of limitations of travel and communication, this was a rare occurrence. Communities were also bound together within the same period of time. They experienced life together on a daily basis. Doors to houses were open, women shopped in the same market daily, men met for various reasons, the heat of the day meant most work stopped and each life depended on the other.
However, today's Western, urban world is MUCH different - and is impacting the entire globe. Community no longer functions primarily within a given space, or even time, if it functions at all. More and more, 'communities' consist of individuals scattering the globe. And if you didn't talk with Jenny yesterday, never mind, you can just check her status or blog to see what has happened in life. For those who do not yearn for face time, or even voice time, there's little reason to work for it. But there is a tipping point (we all need community to be healthy).
The internet has propagated a disconnected world that yearns to connect. The MySpace and Facebook phenomena give proof. Twitter offers a single location in which to open your front door and let your community see your everyday life. Every human desires to know other people and, even more importantly, to be known. Social networking tools capitalise on this innate desire and the lack of fulfillment in everyday life. If these are used as tools to enhance or develop actual community, then they hold immense value to society. However, more and more social networking sites are becoming the hub of community rather than a means to enhance community life.
If our Western, urban culture continues to perpetuate this disconnected community, how will it affect our world?
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