As human beings, it is natural to flock into certain communities or social groups. These collections of people give us a sense of belonging as well as a positive feeling of acceptance. Weather you belong to a community of craftsmen or a community of drug dealers, what is important to understand is that you belong. Fernback and Thompson (1995) state that, “Community is an important aspect of life for most people.” What brings great satisfaction to people is knowing that there are others out there that share in the same interests and thoughts and even though we are unique, we find comfort in knowing that those interests and thoughts are not so extreme that we are considered bizarre.
Starting my second semester at the University at Buffalo, I found that I was lacking a sense of community myself. I decided to gather my friends together and ask them if they wanted to play on an intramural volleyball team. Everyone was on the same page as I was and thought it was a really great
idea; this would get us away from studying and the dorms a couple nights a week and would bring us closer as a group. Naturally, since I put together the group I was named the captain of the team which basically meant that I dealt with the head organizer of volleyball intramurals at Alumni Arena. I was subscribed to the listserve which was specific for my day and time of play, Tuesdays at 10:00pm. This e-mail system relayed important messages which were specific to my team and the other teams that I played on Tuesdays at 10:00. After I received these messages, I would forward them to my team. If anyone had a question I could e-mail everyone on the listserve and people who know the answers and were kind enough would e-mail me back in a promptly manner. I would then forward the responses to my teammates. When the same person kept e-mailing me back over and over I felt that I had developed a relationship with this person that was something a little bit more than senseless e-mailing. We would then see each other on Tuesdays and talk before and after the games. Eventually, I introduced this other captain to my team and he introduced his team to me and my team. I feel that our teams clicked because of all of our similar care-free personalities. I felt a sense of community with these thirty or so people because of the fact that we all played on the same night at the same time. Boyd (2006) describes that “people chose to participate based on their interest in the topic.” All of these relationships that my team and I have developed with other teams in the intramural volleyball league have been started through e-mail and the listserve system.
At the beginning of the intramural league, it was hard to develop relationships with people though. Through using the listserve e-mail system, it does not really allow for personalization of e-mail and getting to know people’s personalities. The one size fits all e-mail that is sent to hundreds of people throughout listserve did not allow me to meet people but it was that system of e-mail which was the foundation of starting relationships with people and it broke the ice in introducing myself to hundreds of people.
I feel that because of the fact that I would see these people a couple nights a week, it was easier to develop relationships with them. For example, I am on a listserve for my PSY101 class which updates the hundreds of people in that class on class cancellations, homework, etc. Because of the enormous group involved and the one sided information exchange (teacher to class), it would be difficult to develop close relationships with people in that class which started with e-mail. It was easier being in a recreational environment where everyone shared a common interest and was interested in having a good time.
Online communities develop because of common interest. Fernback and Thompson (1995) say that, “We all need a sense of place, whether it be bounded territorially or in the "placeless" realm of cyberspace.” It is because of these online communities that people are able to express themselves and open each others minds to new ideas and awareness.
References
Boyd, Danah (2006, December). Friends, Friendsters, and Fop 8: Writing community into being on social network sites. First Monday, 11, Retrieved March 14, 2007, from http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_12/boyd/index.html
Fernback, J, & Thompson, Brad (1995). Virtual Communities: Abort, Retry, Failure?. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from http://www.rheingold.com/texts/techpolitix/VCcivil.html
Starting my second semester at the University at Buffalo, I found that I was lacking a sense of community myself. I decided to gather my friends together and ask them if they wanted to play on an intramural volleyball team. Everyone was on the same page as I was and thought it was a really great
idea; this would get us away from studying and the dorms a couple nights a week and would bring us closer as a group. Naturally, since I put together the group I was named the captain of the team which basically meant that I dealt with the head organizer of volleyball intramurals at Alumni Arena. I was subscribed to the listserve which was specific for my day and time of play, Tuesdays at 10:00pm. This e-mail system relayed important messages which were specific to my team and the other teams that I played on Tuesdays at 10:00. After I received these messages, I would forward them to my team. If anyone had a question I could e-mail everyone on the listserve and people who know the answers and were kind enough would e-mail me back in a promptly manner. I would then forward the responses to my teammates. When the same person kept e-mailing me back over and over I felt that I had developed a relationship with this person that was something a little bit more than senseless e-mailing. We would then see each other on Tuesdays and talk before and after the games. Eventually, I introduced this other captain to my team and he introduced his team to me and my team. I feel that our teams clicked because of all of our similar care-free personalities. I felt a sense of community with these thirty or so people because of the fact that we all played on the same night at the same time. Boyd (2006) describes that “people chose to participate based on their interest in the topic.” All of these relationships that my team and I have developed with other teams in the intramural volleyball league have been started through e-mail and the listserve system.At the beginning of the intramural league, it was hard to develop relationships with people though. Through using the listserve e-mail system, it does not really allow for personalization of e-mail and getting to know people’s personalities. The one size fits all e-mail that is sent to hundreds of people throughout listserve did not allow me to meet people but it was that system of e-mail which was the foundation of starting relationships with people and it broke the ice in introducing myself to hundreds of people.
I feel that because of the fact that I would see these people a couple nights a week, it was easier to develop relationships with them. For example, I am on a listserve for my PSY101 class which updates the hundreds of people in that class on class cancellations, homework, etc. Because of the enormous group involved and the one sided information exchange (teacher to class), it would be difficult to develop close relationships with people in that class which started with e-mail. It was easier being in a recreational environment where everyone shared a common interest and was interested in having a good time.
Online communities develop because of common interest. Fernback and Thompson (1995) say that, “We all need a sense of place, whether it be bounded territorially or in the "placeless" realm of cyberspace.” It is because of these online communities that people are able to express themselves and open each others minds to new ideas and awareness.
References
Boyd, Danah (2006, December). Friends, Friendsters, and Fop 8: Writing community into being on social network sites. First Monday, 11, Retrieved March 14, 2007, from http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_12/boyd/index.html
Fernback, J, & Thompson, Brad (1995). Virtual Communities: Abort, Retry, Failure?. Retrieved March 14, 2007, from http://www.rheingold.com/texts/techpolitix/VCcivil.html
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