The Purpose of Social Media Communities

I often think that community is the missing piece of true understanding in society. I often hope that real communities are not replaced by social media communities. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the role of social media in our society today, I think it does serve great purpose. However, just as with anything else, I feel we must remember history. To really get to the bottom of what a social media community really is, we must understand what community was and the purpose it served.

Community is defined as a group of any size that shares common values, or is situated in a similar geographical area. There should be a feeling of fellowship in a space with others who share values, attitudes and interests. Finding your place within a community might mean stepping back and defining who you are and what you stand for. Perhaps you will need to decide what kind of future you want for yourself. Take a look to see if those currently in your community share your values. Check to see if they share your attitude about life -or aspire to the attitude you want to have in your life. Building a positive, encouraging community around yourself will take some honesty.

Try connecting yourself to people who have something to truly offer you -encouragement, networking opportunities for your career, or even just a display of the same values that you want others to know you stand for. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy a good meme every now and then, but I find that I prefer to be connected to people who challenge me to be a better human being. I try to remain connected to those who post and share things on social media that encourage and inform me. Historically, community has always played a role in shaping the individuals within them. We should always be aware of what we have joined ourselves to.

So maybe take a look at the “community” you are part of. Take some time to review your social media accounts. Examine if the people you are connected to share your values and attitudes. If not, maybe it’s time to make a move.