I would say community is important because it teaches you to not be a jackass. That is the main reason I like it. Even if I am a jackass to everyone, I still stop and think and consider other views.
Community teaches temperance and pragmatism. It also teaches you to be able to voice your beliefs for others to follow.
The problems of community exist, too. It is easy to drown out dissent. Plurality of thought often becomes what is considered correct. Marginalized thoughts can easily be ignored. Of course, this isn't a problem inherent to community, but I think it is a problem of community members.
Community is deep. It means different things at different times to different people. I see it as more about learning what an enormous jackass you are, and trying to accept yourself anyway. In my community we talk about "embracing brokenness", we try to see our shortcomings as gifts, because the places that we need each other are the places where community happens.
When i think of community i cannot help but feel only awe and humility. Those who have surrounded me my entire life have made good on the promise of Christ. My weakness has, at every turn, been redeemed and transformed into strength when met by the love of my brothers and sisters. Trying to define or create community in any knowable terms is a fool's errand in my view. Community occurs. Live and act in love, strain to be nothing but a positive force in the lives of those one interacts with and community will be the fruits of your labour.
So, I think a danger of idealizing community is that it becomes a result of collective intentionality. I used to always think about making a community to live in, waiting for grandma and grandpa to die and make a hippy farm (ha!), but then I realized that that is one type of community. And perhaps another type of intentionality is completely personal. One where you see the world as a group to which you belong.
I think one of the most difficult things about Xnity is to actually see yourself as part of the world community. Not just a group with a common goal, but united with humanity. Even the moslems! And the gays! GROSS.
So, all this mumbling to say: intentional communities are great, and do well, but community mindedness, I think, must be turned global. And it certainly isn't only Xn. In fact, I think the idea of Xnity might need to be left behind to be a good community member. (that's a new can I opened).
I hope I'm not over simplifying this but here goes anyhow: These views of community seem to parallel a ubiquitous controversy in the sports field - - - the (seemingly) conflict between the individual and the team. "How does the superstar on a team behave?" I'm a high school teacher and this also shows up in conflicts in required curriculum. In public education should we educate for the good of the state (do we need more mathematicians or scientists - - - do we drop sports or music in favor of a history class?) or the good of the individual (art, music, literature)? While I don't believe my next sentence is anywhere near definitive enough for this forum; I believe the answer for community lies somewhere in the spectrum of individual accomplishment and social responsibility. Well, there it is. Let the comments begin - - - please.
What are some opinions about the role of community?
ReplyDeleteI would say community is important because it teaches you to not be a jackass. That is the main reason I like it. Even if I am a jackass to everyone, I still stop and think and consider other views.
ReplyDeleteCommunity teaches temperance and pragmatism. It also teaches you to be able to voice your beliefs for others to follow.
The problems of community exist, too. It is easy to drown out dissent. Plurality of thought often becomes what is considered correct. Marginalized thoughts can easily be ignored. Of course, this isn't a problem inherent to community, but I think it is a problem of community members.
community is hard but rewarding. it stretches you and forces you to listen. but all have to be striving for community...
ReplyDeleteCommunity is deep. It means different things at different times to different people. I see it as more about learning what an enormous jackass you are, and trying to accept yourself anyway. In my community we talk about "embracing brokenness", we try to see our shortcomings as gifts, because the places that we need each other are the places where community happens.
ReplyDeleteWhen i think of community i cannot help but feel only awe and humility. Those who have surrounded me my entire life have made good on the promise of Christ. My weakness has, at every turn, been redeemed and transformed into strength when met by the love of my brothers and sisters. Trying to define or create community in any knowable terms is a fool's errand in my view. Community occurs. Live and act in love, strain to be nothing but a positive force in the lives of those one interacts with and community will be the fruits of your labour.
ReplyDeleteSo, I think a danger of idealizing community is that it becomes a result of collective intentionality. I used to always think about making a community to live in, waiting for grandma and grandpa to die and make a hippy farm (ha!), but then I realized that that is one type of community. And perhaps another type of intentionality is completely personal. One where you see the world as a group to which you belong.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most difficult things about Xnity is to actually see yourself as part of the world community. Not just a group with a common goal, but united with humanity. Even the moslems! And the gays! GROSS.
So, all this mumbling to say: intentional communities are great, and do well, but community mindedness, I think, must be turned global. And it certainly isn't only Xn. In fact, I think the idea of Xnity might need to be left behind to be a good community member. (that's a new can I opened).
Ps: are andy and jesse my cousins?
ReplyDeleteDan, Andy is in fact the son of your father's brother.
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm not over simplifying this but here goes anyhow:
ReplyDeleteThese views of community seem to parallel a ubiquitous controversy in the sports field - - - the (seemingly) conflict between the individual and the team. "How does the superstar on a team behave?" I'm a high school teacher and this also shows up in conflicts in required curriculum. In public education should we educate for the good of the state (do we need more mathematicians or scientists - - - do we drop sports or music in favor of a history class?) or the good of the individual (art, music, literature)? While I don't believe my next sentence is anywhere near definitive enough for this forum; I believe the answer for community lies somewhere in the spectrum of individual accomplishment and social responsibility. Well, there it is. Let the comments begin - - - please.