Online Communities

I don’t believe physical proximity is what constitutes a community. A community to me means a group of people interacting and supporting each other, and this can certainly be found on the Internet. Communities on the Internet may consist of people that have never even laid eyes on each other. However, the relationships between members of the online community may be stronger than those between neighbors, coworkers, or families in real life. This is most likely because of the way a person on the Internet is unafraid to express their true feelings, especially if they are interacting under an anonymous identity they created for themselves. These identities are usually idealized versions of people, meant to give them confidence. People are more willing to open up about their problems or ideas online because they don’t have to worry about other’s judgments affecting their lives permanently. Interacting online also eliminates concerns that the person could be rebuffed or rejected in person for what they say. Members of an online community offer support for one another. People in online communities tend to have common interests which gives members a sense of belonging that may be just as strong as being part of a physical community.